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 § 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1, 6, 8, 10, 14, 16-18, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20120090847 to Getzlaf et al in view of US 8991509 to Merron.
Regarding claim 1, Getzlaf teaches a sleeve valve for use in a casing string in a treatment zone or formation comprising: a tubular housing 30 or 40 defining a housing bore and one or more housing ports 31 or 42; an inner sleeve 32 or 41 in sliding and fluid sealing engagement with the housing, the inner sleeve being axially shiftable within the housing between a closed sleeve position wherein the one or more ports are obstructed (figs. 3 and 4A), and an open sleeve position wherein the one or more ports are unobstructed, thereby allowing fluid flow from the housing bore to the treatment zone or the formation and production (fig. 4B; paragraphs 0076-0082 and 0153-0161).
Getzlaf also shows that the sleeve has unlabeled seal rings in figure 3. However, it is not expressly taught that the inner sleeve comprises friction rings.
Merron teaches a sleeve valve with an inner sliding sleeve 240 similar to that of Getzlaf, wherein it is further taught that the inner sleeve has friction rings (col. 12, lines 1-8). It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use friction rings as taught by Merron with the inner sleeve of Getzlaf. A person of ordinary skill would have been motivated to do so, with a reasonable expectation of success, because friction rings were a well-known means for causing friction between the sleeve and housing for controlling sleeve movement, as taught by Merron.
Regarding claim 6, the sleeve valve of claim 1, wherein the inner sleeve defines a profile configured for engagement and shifting by a shifting tool 13 operatively connected to the sleeve valve (fig. 5A and paragraph 0087 of Getzlaf).
Regarding claim 8, the sleeve valve of claim 1, further comprising sealing elements 44 secured about the inner sleeve, the sealing elements being received in annular seal grooves defined in an inner surface of the sleeve housing (see the leftmost seals 44 in the housing of fig. 4A of Getzlaf).
Regarding claim 10, the sleeve valve of claim 1, further comprising top and bottom threaded connectors for coupling the sleeve valve to first and second casing sections (figs. 3-4A of Getzlaf show the unlabeled top and bottom threaded connectors).
Regarding claim 14, the sleeve valve of claim 10, further comprising sealing elements between the top threaded connector and the housing (fig. 3 of Getzlaf shows the unlabeled seals between the top threaded connector and the housing – with one seal being located in the vicinity of shear pin 33).
Regarding claims 16-17, the sleeve valve of claim 1, wherein the one or more housing ports 31 or 42 are positioned at a downhole end of the housing, and the inner sleeve is shiftable from a downhole sleeve position to an uphole sleeve position (figs. 3-5B of Getzlaf; and paragraph 0090 states that the components can be reversed so that the sleeve is shifted in the other direction as claimed in claim 16).
Regarding claim 18, the sleeve valve of claim 1, wherein the housing defines upper and lower inner annular shoulders in the bore forming upper and lower stops for the inner sleeve (figs. 3-5B of Getzlaf show the unlabeled upper and lower inner annular shoulders).
Regarding claim 20, Getzlaf teaches a method for fracturing comprising: providing a casing string without packers in a treatment zone or formation (paragraphs 0077 and 0091 state that the string can be secured in place with cement of external packers, thus the situation where cement is used will be relied upon for this rejection), wherein the casing string comprises a plurality of sleeve valves (0091), each sleeve valve comprising a tubular housing 30 or 40 defining a housing bore and one or more housing ports 31 or 42; an inner sleeve 32 or 41 comprising sealing elements secured about the inner sleeve in sliding and fluid sealing engagement with the housing, the inner sleeve being axially shiftable within the housing between a closed sleeve position wherein the one or more ports are obstructed (figs. 3 and 4A), and an open sleeve position wherein the one or more ports are unobstructed (fig. 4B), thereby allowing fluid flow from the housing bore to the treatment zone or the formation and production (paragraphs 0076-0082 and 0153-0161); opening a first sleeve valve in a first wellbore zone, with other sleeve valves being closed with the sealing elements of the other sleeve valves effectively sealing in event of failure of the sealing elements (0092-0093); in a first fracturing step, pumping fracturing fluid through the first sleeve valve to the treatment zone or the formation to form one or more fractures therethrough (0120); closing the first sleeve valve after completion of the first fracturing step (0095); opening a second sleeve valve in a second wellbore zone, with the first and other sleeve valves being closed with the sealing elements of the first and other sleeve valves effectively sealing as back-up in event of failure of the sealing elements (0095); in a second fracturing step, pumping additional fracturing fluid through the second sleeve valve to the treatment zone or the formation to form one or more fractures therethrough; closing the second sleeve valve after completion of the second fracturing step; and repeating opening, fracturing, and closing steps sequentially for one or more of the other sleeve valves (0137-0139 and 0163).
Getzlaf also shows that the sleeve has unlabeled seal rings in figure 3. However, it is not expressly taught that the inner sleeve comprises friction rings.
Merron teaches a sleeve valve with an inner sliding sleeve 240 similar to that of Getzlaf, wherein it is further taught that the inner sleeve has friction rings (col. 12, lines 1-8). It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use friction rings as taught by Merron with the inner sleeve of Getzlaf. A person of ordinary skill would have been motivated to do so, with a reasonable expectation of success, because friction rings were a well-known means for causing friction between the sleeve and housing for controlling sleeve movement, as taught by Merron.
Claim(s) 9 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Getzlaf in view of Merron as applied to claim 8 above, and further in view of US 20180087673 to Scott et al.
Regarding claim 9, Getzlaf in view of Merron teaches the sealing elements 44 secured about the inner sleeve from claim 8 above. However, it is not specifically taught that the seals are S-seals.
Scott teaches also teaches a downhole valve with seals, wherein seals 98 and 106 are S-seals (figs. 6b-6c; paragraphs 0062-0063). It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use S-seals as taught by Scott as the sealing elements of Getzlaf/Merron. A person of ordinary skill would have been motivated to do so, with a reasonable expectation of success, because S-seals were a well-known means for sealing in downhole valves as taught by Scott.
Regarding claim 15, Getzlaf in view of Merron teaches the sealing elements from claim 14 above, with a central ring therebetween (see sealing ring to the right of where lead line 32 points to in fig. 3). However, it is not specifically taught that the seals are O-rings.
Scott teaches also teaches a downhole valve with seals, wherein seals 88c and 88d are O-rings (fig. 6a; paragraph 0061). It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use O-rings as taught by Scott as the sealing elements of Getzlaf/Merron. A person of ordinary skill would have been motivated to do so, with a reasonable expectation of success, because O-rings were a well-known means for sealing in downhole valves as taught by Scott.
Claim(s) 10 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Getzlaf in view of Merron as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of US 11346169 to Andreychuk et al.
Regarding claim 10, if it were to be determined that the unlabeled casing connections in figure 3 of Getzlaf were not considered as threaded connectors, then Andreychuk clearly teaches top and bottom threaded connectors for coupling the sleeve valve housing 16/19 to first and second casing sections 40 (figs. 1-3; col. 8, lines 16-22; col. 11, lines 13-49).
It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the casing sections and threaded connectors as taught by Andreychuk with the sleeve valve of Getzlaf/Merron. A person of ordinary skill would have been motivated to do so, with a reasonable expectation of success, because threaded connectors were a well-known means for connecting intermediate tools between sections of casing as taught by Andreychuk.
Regarding claim 19, Getzlaf teaches a system for use in a casing string in a treatment zone or formation comprising: a sleeve assembly comprising: a tubular housing 30 or 40 defining a housing bore and one or more housing ports 31 or 42; an inner sleeve 32 or 41 in fluid sealing engagement with the housing, the inner sleeve being axially shiftable within the housing between a closed sleeve position wherein the one or more ports are obstructed (figs. 3 and 4A), and an open sleeve position wherein the one or more ports are unobstructed, thereby allowing fluid flow from the housing bore to the treatment zone or the formation and production (fig. 4B; paragraphs 0076-0082 and 0153-0161).
Getzlaf also shows that the sleeve has unlabeled seal rings in figure 3. However, it is not expressly taught that the inner sleeve comprises friction rings.
Merron teaches a sleeve valve with an inner sliding sleeve 240 similar to that of Getzlaf, wherein it is further taught that the inner sleeve has friction rings (col. 12, lines 1-8). It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use friction rings as taught by Merron with the inner sleeve of Getzlaf. A person of ordinary skill would have been motivated to do so, with a reasonable expectation of success, because friction rings were a well-known means for causing friction between the sleeve and housing for controlling sleeve movement, as taught by Merron.
Although Getzlaf specifically states that the sleeve valve is attached between adjacent lengths of casing (paragraphs 0074 and 0077), it is not specifically taught that there is a first casing section comprising a first pin end; a second casing section comprising either internal threads or a second pin end.
Andreychuk teaches a sleeve valve housing 16/19 between sections of casing 40, wherein a first casing section comprising a first pin end (left side of figs. 1 and 3); a second casing section comprising either internal threads (right side of fig. 1) or a second pin end (right side of fig. 3). It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the casing sections and threaded connectors as taught by Andreychuk with the sleeve valve of Getzlaf/Merron. A person of ordinary skill would have been motivated to do so, with a reasonable expectation of success, because threaded connectors and casing sections with pin ends or internal threads were a well-known means for connecting intermediate tools between sections of casing as taught by Andreychuk.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-5, 7, and 11-13 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 on form 892 and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHANE BOMAR whose telephone number is (571)272-7026. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30am-3:30pm EST M-Th.
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.
/SHANE BOMAR/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3674
Prosecution Insights