CTFR 18/752,050 CTFR 88727 DETAILED ACTION In response to remarks filed 03/04/2026 12-151 AIA 26-51 12-51 Status of Claims Claims 1-20 are currently pending; Claim 1 is currently amended; Claims 2-20 were previously presented; Claims 1-20 are rejected hereinafter. Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Response to Arguments 07-37 AIA Applicant's arguments filed 03/04/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that “Okuno describes methods for storing hydrogen gas in subterranean reservoirs in the form of a carboxylate, for example, formic acid. Okuno, para. [0010]. The subterranean reservoir may be an oil or gas reservoir, a saline aquifer, a fresh water aquifer, a geothermal reservoir, or caverns, for example, salt caverns. Okuno, para. [0011]. Okuno does not describe storing chemical hydrogen carriers in a salt cavern, where the chemical hydrogen carriers include methyl formate, methanol, methylcyclohexane, or ammonium formate, or any combination thereof, as recited in claim 1. Rather, Okuno teaches away from the use of methylcyclohexane, which Okuno contends poses challenges in storing sufficient amounts of H2” – Examiner respectfully disagrees. Even though, Okuno does not explicitly teach the hydrogen carrier as claimed, Okuno teaches “formic acid’ and it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use hydrogen carrier comprise of methyl formate, methanol, methylcyclohexane, or ammonium formate or any combination thereof, since it has been held to be within the level of one skilled in the art to select known materials on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416 . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 1-6 and 9-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okuno et al. (WO 2022/232630) in view of Han et al. (US 2025/0067717) . With regards to claim 1 and 6, Okuno et al. discloses a method of subterranean hydrogen storage (abstract: “storing hydrogen by way of injecting aqueous mixtures into subterranean reservoirs. The aqueous mixtures include one or more carboxylates”), the method comprising: pumping a chemical hydrogen carrier into a subterranean salt cavern (paragraph 0011, “the subterranean reservoir may be an oil or gas reservoir, a saline aquifer, a fresh water aquifer, a geothermal reservoir, or caverns (e.g., salt caverns).”), wherein the chemical hydrogen carrier comprises at least formic acid, or ammonium formate, or any combination thereof (paragraph 0005, 0010, 0014 0088, 0123). Okuno et al. discloses the invention substantially as claimed. However, Okuno et al. discloses the invention substantially as claimed. However, Okuno is silent about pumping a cushion gas into the subterranean salt cavern. Han et al. teaches injecting a cushion gas such as nitrogen, methane, and carbon dioxide, to control the pressure within the salt cavern (paragraph 0025-0026). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the method of Okuno et al. to include the step of pumping a cushion gas as taught by Han et al., since it would provide a gas to maintain a pressure within the salt cavern to prevent cavern deformation. Even though, Okuno does not explicitly teach the hydrogen carrier as claimed, Okuno teaches “formic acid’ and it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use hydrogen carrier comprise of methyl formate, methanol, methylcyclohexane, or ammonium formate or any combination thereof, since it has been held to be within the level of one skilled in the art to select known materials on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416. As to claim 2-3, Okuno et al. discloses wherein the chemical hydrogen carrier is dissolved or dispersed in a liquid or gas before the chemical hydrogen carrier is pumped into the subterranean salt cavern and wherein the chemical hydrogen carrier is dissolved or dispersed in a non-polar liquid (paragraph 0012-0014) and 0089 and figure 2-4; Note: carbon dioxide is a non-polar liquid that is mixed prior to injection). AS to claim 4-5, Okuno et al. discloses wherein the chemical hydrogen carrier is saturated with a salt and wherein the salt is sodium chloride (NaCl) (paragraph 0014 and 0084, 0089, 0093 and 0127; figure 3). As to claims 9, Okuno et al. discloses wherein the chemical hydrogen carrier comprises methyl formate (paragraph 0014; Methyl formate is an “ester”). As to claim 10, Okuno et al. discloses wherein the chemical hydrogen carrier comprises ammonium formate dissolved in formic acid (paragraph 0014). As to claim 11, Okuno et al. disclsoes wherein the chemical hydrogen carrier comprises ammonium formate dissolved in methyl formate (paragraph 014; mixing a solvent (ester) and ammonia solution). As to claim 12-13, Okuno et al. discloses wherein the chemical hydrogen carrier is enriched with pure hydrogen and wherein the chemical hydrogen carrier comprises greater than 1 % by weight hydrogen, and optionally greater than 4 % by weight hydrogen (paragraph 0012-0013 and 0077). As to claim 14, Okuno et al. as modified above discloses further comprising: releasing the cushion gas from the subterranean salt cavern; or dispersing the cushion gas into the subterranean salt cavern (Han et al. paragraph 0025-0026). As to claim 15, Okuno et al. as modified above discloses further comprising retrieving the chemical hydrogen carrier from the subterranean salt cavern (paragraph 0077 “For storing hydrogen, the carboxylates can be present in the aqueous mixture at any suitable concentration, such as from 1 wt.% to 45 wt.%, and can be injected into the subterranean reservoir for later retrieval for hydrogen generation.”). As to claim 16-18, Okuno et al. discloses wherein retrieving the chemical hydrogen carrier from the subterranean salt cavern comprises displacing the chemical hydrogen carrier to the surface wherein displacing the chemical hydrogen carrier to the surface comprises pumping a fluid, gas, or a supercritical fluid into the subterranean salt cavern to displace the chemical hydrogen carrier to the surface; wherein displacing the chemical hydrogen carrier to the surface comprises pumping a supercritical fluid into the subterranean salt cavern, wherein the supercritical fluid comprises carbon dioxide, nitrogen, or methane (Han et al. paragraph 0025-0026; Note: well known to inject/withdraw cushion gas e.g. nitrogen, carbon dioxide or methane are used to control the production rate). As to claims 19-20, Okuno et al. discloses further comprising processing the retrieved chemical hydrogen carrier at the surface at a separator unit (125; figure 1); wherein processing the retrieved chemical hydrogen carrier at the surface at a separator unit comprises sorting CO2 from other hydrogen carbon components (paragraph 0010, 0077 and 0086) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 7-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okuno et al. (WO 2022/232630) in view of Han et al. (US 2025/0067717) and Abou-Sayed et al. (WO 2022/082125) . As to claims 7-8, Okuno et al. disclosesthe invention substantially as claimed. However, Okuno et al. is silent about further comprising monitoring the reactivity of the chemical hydrogen carrier with the salt surfaces of the subterranean salt cavern; and wherein monitoring the reactivity of the chemical hydrogen carrier with the salt surfaces of the subterranean salt cavern comprises monitoring the dissolution of the salt surface by the chemical hydrogen carrier. Abou-Sayed et al. teaches that monitoring the dissolution of the salt surface of cavern walls since it enlarge the cavern and change the properties of the fluid inside the cavern (paragraph 0055-0056 and 0059). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the method of Okuno et al. as taught by Abou-Sayed et al., since it is known that controlling wall dissolution to control enlargement of the cavern. Conclusion 07-40 AIA Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL . See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARIB A OQUENDO whose telephone number is (571)270-7411. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9am-5:30pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Amber Anderson can be reached at 571-270-5281. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /CARIB A OQUENDO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3678 Application/Control Number: 18/752,050 Page 2 Art Unit: 3678 Application/Control Number: 18/752,050 Page 3 Art Unit: 3678 Application/Control Number: 18/752,050 Page 4 Art Unit: 3678 Application/Control Number: 18/752,050 Page 5 Art Unit: 3678
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