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 .
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 8/04/2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15 and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murphy (US Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0284901) in view of Vincent et al. (US Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0116716).
In reference to claim 1, Murphy discloses a system for a fully-integrated flow control module (FI-FCM) 100 in a hydrocarbon reservoir, the system comprising:
a single-piece body 102/128 (par. 0043, “flow module 128 … may be permanently mounted to or even formed integrally with the valve block 102”) forming the FI-FCM 100 and comprising a choke 140 and a flow meter 138, the flow meter 138 located upstream relative to the choke 140 (Fig. 2); and
an exit flow path 136 for reservoir fluid inside the FI-FCM 100, the exit flow path 136 comprising a section which is horizontal with respect to the axis of a wellbore of the hydrocarbon reservoir (Fig. 2).
Murphy discloses all of the limitations of claim 1 with the exception of the body being machined; and integrated therewith, one or more sensors for one or more of salinity measurements, sand detection, erosion monitoring, pressure monitoring, or temperature monitoring.
Vincent discloses that a single-piece body of an FI-FCM can be machined (abstract). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to machine the single-piece body with a reasonable expectation of success as machining is known in the art to be effective for forming FI-FCMs.
Vincent discloses sensors 125, integrated into the FI-FCM 103 (Fig. 2), for pressure monitoring (par. 0020). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include pressure sensors integrated with the FI-FCM with a reasonable expectation of success so that the pressure within the FI-FCM can be measured.
In reference to claim 3, Murphy discloses that the flow meter 138 is in fluid communication with an entry flow path 116 and with the exit flow path 136 to control a flow between the entry flow path 116 and the exit flow path 136 (Fig. 2).
In reference to claim 5, Murphy fails to disclose that the FI-FCM further comprises, integrated therewith, a feature for injection applications of well fluid or intervention fluid to be injected into a well associated with the hydrocarbon reservoir.
Vincent discloses the FI-FCM 103, integrated therewith, a feature 205 for injection applications of well fluid or intervention fluid to be injected into a well associated with the hydrocarbon reservoir (par. 0023). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include a provision for the injection of fluid into the well with a reasonable expectation of success so that fluid can be injected into the well for removing formation damage or cleaning blocked perforations.
In reference to claim 6, Murphy discloses that the FI-FCM 100 is further adapted for multiphase flow measurements or single-phase flow measurements based in part on an application of the FI-FCM 100 (par. 0041, “production flow meter 138, which may comprise a multi-phase or a single phase flow meter”).
In reference to claim 8, Murphy discloses a method for a fully-integrated flow control module (FI-FCM) 100 in a hydrocarbon reservoir, the method comprising:
providing a single-piece body 102/128 (par. 0043, “flow module 128 … may be permanently mounted to or even formed integrally with the valve block 102”) forming the FI-FCM 100 to be associated with a wellbore of the hydrocarbon reservoir, the single-piece body 102/128 comprising a provision for a choke 140, comprising a flow meter 138, and comprising an exit flow path 136, the exit flow path 136 comprising a section which is horizontal with respect to an axis of the wellbore (Fig. 2), wherein the flow meter 138 is located upstream relative to the provision for the choke 140 (Fig. 2);
associating the FI-FCM 100 with the wellbore of the hydrocarbon reservoir (Fig. 2, FI-FCM is mounted to a wellhead 104 leading to the wellbore); and
enabling flow of reservoir fluid through the FI-FCM 100 and to exit the exit flow path 136 through the section which is horizontal (Fig. 2).
Murphy discloses all of the limitations of claim 8 with the exception of the body being machined; and integrated therewith, one or more sensors for one or more of salinity measurements, sand detection, erosion monitoring, pressure monitoring, or temperature monitoring.
Vincent discloses that a single-piece body of an FI-FCM can be machined (abstract). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to machine the single-piece body with a reasonable expectation of success as machining is known in the art to be effective for forming FI-FCMs.
Vincent discloses sensors 125, integrated into the FI-FCM 103 (Fig. 2), for pressure monitoring (par. 0020). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include pressure sensors integrated with the FI-FCM with a reasonable expectation of success so that the pressure within the FI-FCM can be measured.
In reference to claim 10, Murphy discloses that the flow meter 138 is in fluid communication with an entry flow path 116 and with the exit flow path 136 (Fig. 2), the method further comprising:
controlling the flow of the reservoir fluid between the entry flow path 116 and the exit flow path 136 using the choke 140 (par. 0041).
In reference to claim 12, Murphy fails to disclose that the FI-FCM further comprises, integrated therewith, a feature for injection applications of well fluid or intervention fluid to be injected into a well associated with the hydrocarbon reservoir.
Vincent discloses the FI-FCM 103, integrated therewith, a feature 205 for injection applications of well fluid or intervention fluid to be injected into a well associated with the hydrocarbon reservoir (par. 0023). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include a provision for the injection of fluid into the well with a reasonable expectation of success so that fluid can be injected into the well for removing formation damage or cleaning blocked perforations.
In reference to claim 13, Murphy discloses that the FI-FCM 100 is further adapted for multiphase flow measurements or single-phase flow measurements based in part on an application of the FI-FCM 100 (par. 0041, “production flow meter 138, which may comprise a multi-phase or a single phase flow meter”).
In reference to claim 15, Murphy discloses a method for a fully-integrated flow control module (FI-FCM) 100 in a hydrocarbon reservoir, the method comprising:
forming the FI-FCM 100 as a single-piece body 102/128 (par. 0043, “flow module 128 … may be permanently mounted to or even formed integrally with the valve block 102”) which comprises a flow meter 138 integrated in the single-piece machined body 102/128, comprises an exit flow path 136 with a section which is horizontal with respect to an axis of a wellbore with which the FI-FCM 100 is to be used (Fig. 2), and comprises a provision that is inside the FI-FCM 100 for associating a choke 140 within the provision (Fig. 2), wherein the flow meter 138 is located upstream relative to the provision of choke 140 (Fig. 2); and
associating the choke 140 within the provision (Fig. 2).
Murphy discloses all of the limitations of claim 15 with the exception of the body being machined; and integrated therewith, one or more sensors for one or more of salinity measurements, sand detection, erosion monitoring, pressure monitoring, or temperature monitoring.
Vincent discloses that a single-piece body of an FI-FCM can be machined (abstract). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to machine the single-piece body with a reasonable expectation of success as machining is known in the art to be effective for forming FI-FCMs.
Vincent discloses sensors 125, integrated into the FI-FCM 103 (Fig. 2), for pressure monitoring (par. 0020). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include pressure sensors integrated with the FI-FCM with a reasonable expectation of success so that the pressure within the FI-FCM can be measured.
In reference to claim 17, Murphy fails to disclose machining the FI-FCM to further comprise, integrated therewith, a feature for injection applications of well fluid or intervention fluid to be injected into a well associated with the hydrocarbon reservoir.
Vincent discloses machining the FI-FCM 103 to further comprise, integrated therewith, a feature 205 for injection applications of well fluid or intervention fluid to be injected into a well associated with the hydrocarbon reservoir (par. 0023). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include a provision for the injection of fluid into the well with a reasonable expectation of success so that fluid can be injected into the well for removing formation damage or cleaning blocked perforations.
In reference to claim 18, Murphy discloses that the FI-FCM 100 is further adapted for multiphase flow measurements or single-phase flow measurements based in part on an application of the FI-FCM 100 (par. 0041, “production flow meter 138, which may comprise a multi-phase or a single phase flow meter”).
In reference to claim 19, Murphy discloses machining the FI-FCM 100 to further comprise a retrievability feature to allow retrievable installation for all or part of the FI-FCM 100 (par. 0043, “the tree will ideally be sufficiently light to be retrieved without the need for extensive topside equipment. In that case, the entire tree 100 may be retrieved if any of its components need servicing”).
Claims 2, 7, 9, 14 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murphy (US Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0284901) in view of Vincent et al. (US Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0116716) as applied to claims 1, 8 and 15 above, and further in view of McHugh (US Patent No. 10,184,310).
In reference to claims 2 and 9, Murphy fails to disclose a provision that is inside the FI-FCM, wherein the provision is for the choke and is to enable the choke to access the FI-FCM in only one direction that is vertical with respect to the axis of the wellbore of the hydrocarbon reservoir.
McHugh discloses a provision (Fig. 5, the structure supporting choke 76) that is inside the FI-FCM 62, wherein the provision is for the choke 76 and is to enable the choke 76 to access the FI-FCM 62 in only one direction that is vertical with respect to the axis of the wellbore 20 of the hydrocarbon reservoir (Fig. 5). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to configure the FI-FCM so that the choke accesses the FI-FCM from only one direction that is vertical with respect to the axis of the wellbore with a reasonable expectation of success as it amounts to a rearrangement of the existing parts of the invention without altering their function.
In reference to claims 7 and 14, Murphy fails to disclose an indicating or transmitting component of the flow meter to transmit flow information remotely from the FI-FCM.
McHugh discloses an indicating or transmitting component (col. 6, lines 48-49, “communications devices”). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include an indicating or transmitting component with a reasonable expectation of success so that measured data can be transmitted from the FI-FCM.
In reference to claim 20, Murphy fails to disclose providing a coupling feature of the FI-FCM to associate a gate valve with the FI- FCM, the gate valve within a second single-piece machined body; and
enabling driving movement of the gate valve between an open position, a closed position, or a further position there between using at least one feature of the FI-FCM.
Vincent discloses providing a coupling feature of the FI-FCM 103 to associate a valve 120 that is within a second single-piece machined body 110 with the FI-FCM 103 (Fig. 1); and
enabling driving movement of the valve 120 between an open position, a closed position, or some position there between (the presence of a valve implies that it will at some point be driven to an open, closed, or in between position).
McHugh discloses a gate valve that comprises at least one feature to drive movement between an open position, a closed position, or some position there between for the gate valve (col. 6, line 48, “automated gate valve” implies that some feature is present to drive the gate valve).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to include a coupling feature for a gate valve, a gate valve within a second single-piece machined body, and enable driving movement of the gate valve with a reasonable expectation of success so that the gate valve can be used to shut off the flow of fluid, should the need arise.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 8/04/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that the rejection to claims 1, 8 and 15 should be withdrawn as the references fail to disclose “integrated therewith, one or more sensors for one or more of salinity measurements, sand detection, erosion monitoring, pressure monitoring, or temperature monitoring.” More specifically, Applicant argues that Vincent discloses sensors 125 that are not integrated into the FI-FCM as they are installed using simple flange connections.
The examiner finds this argument unpersuasive as the claim only requires that the sensors are “integrated therewith” rather than attached through any particular means that would exclude flanges. The examiner considers the limitation “integrated therewith” to mean “connected to” or “operating with” rather than requiring any particular physical structure for connecting the sensors by a means other than a flange. The sensors 125 are “integrated therewith” in the sense that they are connected to the FI-FCM 103 and operating along with the FI-FCM 103 (Fig. 2, par. 0020).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Berntsen et al. (US Patent No. 11,713,987) discloses that sensors can be formed integrally with parts of a flow control module (col. 8, lines 55-58).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRAD HARCOURT whose telephone number is (571)272-7303. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday, 9am to 6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Doug Hutton can be reached at (571)272-4137. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRAD HARCOURT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3674
8/17/26
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