DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 2, and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Duhon (U.S. Patent No. 5,775,421).
Regarding Claim 1, Duhon discloses a method for isolating a wellbore, comprising:
Providing a seal sub (Duhon: 100), a grapple assembly (Duhon: 430) coupled to the seal sub (Duhon: 100), a washpipe (Duhon: 90), a ball setting tool (Duhon: 420) and a seal ball (Duhon: 500), wherein the ball setting tool (Duhon: 420) is coupled to one end of the washpipe (Duhon: 90), and wherein the seal ball (Duhon: 500) is coupled to the ball setting tool (Duhon: 420);
Pulling the washpipe (Duhon: 90) through an interior volume (Duhon: interior of 100) of the seal sub (Duhon: 100) such that a grapple catch (Duhon: portion of 500 that contacts 430) of the seal ball (Duhon: 500) contacts a ball catch lip (Duhon: portion of 430 that contacts 500) of the seal sub (Duhon: 100); and
Pulling the washpipe (Duhon: 90), after the contact between the grapple catch (Duhon: portion of 500 that contacts 430) and the ball catch lip (Duhon: portion of 430 that contacts 500), through an interior volume (Duhon: interior of 100) of the seal sub (Duhon: 100) with a sufficient force to cause the grapple assembly (Duhon: 430) to decouple from the seal sub (Duhon: 100)(Duhon: 420 decoupled after shearing of 440).
Regarding Claim 2, Duhon discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: providing a shear screw (Duhon: 540) between the seal ball (Duhon: 500) and the ball setting tool (Duhon: 420);
Pulling the washpipe (Duhon: 90) through the interior volume (Duhon: interior of 100) of the seal sub (Duhon: 100) such that the seal ball (Duhon: 500) selectively connects to a ball seat (Duhon: 365) of the seal sub (Duhon: 100); and
Pulling the washpipe (Duhon: 90) through the interior volume (Duhon: interior of 100) of the seal sub (Duhon: 100) with a sufficient force to shear the shear screw (Duhon: 540) of the seal ball (Duhon: 500)-ball setting tool (Duhon: 420) connection, which causes the ball setting tool (Duhon: 420) to decouple from the seal ball (Duhon: 500).
Regarding Claim 4, Duhon discloses he method of claim 2, further comprising: applying an uphole pressure (Duhon: Figure 7C-E: upward pulling can be considered uphole pressure) to dislodge the selective connection between the seal ball and the ball seat and allow the seal ball to travel downhole.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 and 5-7 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The use of language directed toward the force required to separate the seal ball from the ball setting tool being larger than the force required to decouple the grapple assembly from the seal sub (Duhon: Figures 7C-E: increasing upward pull of 90 breaks 540 before 340), when combined with the other limitations of claim 3, is sufficient to distinguish the applicant’s invention from prior art. The use of language directed toward the location and function of a grapple spring on the grapple assembly, when combined with the other limitations of claim 5, is sufficient to distinguish the applicants invention from prior art. The use of language directed toward the position and function of a catch sub and ball catch lever in relation to the seal ball and the seal sub, when combined with the other limitations of claim 6, is sufficient to distinguish the applicant’s invention from prior art.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20150345300 (FLEXURE MEMBRANE FOR DRILLING FLUID TEST SYSTEM), US 20150075780 (MULTI-ZONE COMPLETION SYSTEMS AND METHODS), US 8646531 (Tubular actuator, system and method), US 8291980 (Tubular valving system and method), US 6390200 (Drop ball sub and system of use).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DOUGLAS S WOOD whose telephone number is (571)270-5954. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday 8:30 AM - 7:00 PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nicole A Coy can be reached at (571) - 272 - 5405. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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DOUGLAS S. WOOD
Examiner
Art Unit 3679
/DOUGLAS S WOOD/Examiner, Art Unit 3679
/Nicole Coy/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3672