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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Group 1, claims 1-10 in the reply filed on 02/17/2026 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claims 11-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 02/17/2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Reimert (US 4757860 A), hereinafter Re.
With respect to claim 1, Re discloses a method of releasing a work string (DS) including a running tool (32) from a liner hanger (24, casing hangers are also liner hangers since casings line a borehole) in a subterranean well, the method comprising: rotating the work string in a first rotational direction (right hand direction, col. 18 ll. 48-54); then slacking off on the work string, thereby applying a compressive force to the running tool (col. 18 ll. 54-65); and then rotating the work string in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction (rotated to left, col. 18 ll. 65-68), thereby releasing the running tool from the liner hanger (col. 19 ll. 7-12).
Claim(s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Baker (US 4688642 A).
With respect to claim 1, Baker discloses a method of releasing a work string (R) including a running tool (lower portion of R in combination with 7, 9, 10, 32) from a liner hanger (H) in a subterranean well, the method comprising: rotating the work string in a first rotational direction (left hand/counterclockwise direction, fig. 5, col. 4 ll. 25-30, left hand rotation would be needed for this movement as illustrated in fig. 5); then slacking off on the work string, thereby applying a compressive force to the running tool (col. 4 ll. 35-40); and then rotating the work string in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction (rotated to right or clockwise as is needed to unthread a left-handed nut, col. 1 ll. 65-69, col. 4 ll. 40-45), thereby releasing the running tool from the liner hanger (col. 4 ll. 40-45).
With respect to claim 2, Baker discloses prior to the rotating the work string in the first rotational direction, picking up on the work string (given the configuration of Baker where lug 41 is in slot 42 of sleeve 35 as shown in fig. 5, E and therefore R would need to be picked up slightly to raise the pin 41 from the groove before rotation can move pin out of groove 42).
With respect to claim 3, Baker discloses in which the first rotational direction is a counter-clockwise rotation of the work string at a surface of the well (discussed supra).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-10 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 4911237 A and US 2876844 A also disclose rotation in opposite directions in conjunction with weight-set down/slack off in order to release a running tool from a liner hanger.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KIPP CHARLES WALLACE whose telephone number is (571)270-1162. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM.
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, 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.
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.
/KIPP C WALLACE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3674 05/27/2026
Prosecution Insights