Office Action 2: Notice of Allowance (2025-07-22)

CLAIMS:
AMENDMENTS TO THE CLAIMS

The following listing of claims will replace all prior versions and listings of claims in the application:

Listing of Claims:

1\. (Currently Amended) A method performed at a rotary table of a rig, the method comprising the steps of:lifting a whipstock assembly at the rig by engaging a component of the rig on a removable portion of the whipstock assembly, the whipstock assembly having a whipstock and a lead mill connected together by a releasable operational connection;
running the whipstock assembly at least partially through the rotary table of the rig;
supporting the whipstock assembly at the rotary table of the rig using an apparatus by: supporting portions of the whipstock and the lead mill with a support member of the apparatus, supporting the support member on a base member of the apparatus, and supporting the base member at the rotary table;
connecting a milling assembly to the lead mill of the whipstock assembl removing the removable portion from the whipstock assembly and threading the milling assembly to the lead mill on the whipstock assembly;
unsupporting the lead mill and the whipstock assembly from the support member; and
running the whipstock assembly and the milling assembly through the rotary table.

2\. (Currently Amended) The method of claim 1, wherein lifting the whipstock assembly and running the whipstock assembly at least partially through the rotary table of the rig by engaging the component of the rig on the removable portion of the whipstock assembly comprises engaging an elevator of the rig on a lifting sub connected to the lead mill on the whipstock assembly; and wherein connecting the milling assembly to the lead mill of the whipstock assembly by removing the removable portion and threading a coupling of the milling assembly to the lead mill on the whipstock assembly comprises removing the lifting sub from the lead mill and threading a coupling of the milling assembly to the lead mill.

3\. (Original) The method of claim 1, wherein supporting the base member of the apparatus at the rotary table comprises engaging drive pins on the base member in slots of a drive bushing of the rotary table.

4\. (Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a body support member configured to supporting a body of the whipstock and being removably connected to the base member, the method comprising, before lifting, disconnecting the body support member from the apparatus, and removing the body support member from supporting the body of the whipstock.

5\. (Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of lifting the whipstock assembly, running the whipstock assembly at least partially through the rotary table of the rig, supporting the support member on the base member, and supporting the base member at the rotary table comprise:lifting the whipstock assembly having the apparatus supported thereon, the apparatus having the support member connected to the base member;
running the whipstock assembly at least partially through the rotary table of the rig; and
landing the base member of the apparatus at the rotary table.

6\. (Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of lifting the whipstock assembly, running the whipstock assembly at least partially through the rotary table of the rig, supporting the support member on the base member, and supporting the base member at the rotary table comprise:lifting the whipstock assembly having the support member of the apparatus supported thereon;
separately placing the base member at the rotary table;
running the whipstock assembly at least partially through the base member placed at the rotary table of the rig; and
landing the support member on the base member.

7\. (Original) The method of claim 6, wherein landing the support member on the base member comprises inserting an end of the support member in a receptacle disposed on the base member.

8\. (Original) The method of claim 1, wherein supporting the whipstock assembly on the rig using the apparatus comprises at least one of:engaging the whipstock on a support shoulder of the support member;
engaging the whipstock on a base shoulder of the base member; and
engaging the lead mill on a clamp shoulder of a clamp.

9\. (Original) The method of claim 1, wherein unsupporting the lead mill and the whipstock assembly from the support member comprises at least one of:disconnecting the whipstock assembly from the support member;
unfastening a first mount on the support member from the whipstock;
removing a second mount of the support member from the lead mill; and
unclamping a clamp on the second mount of the support member from the lead mill.

10\. (Currently Amended) The method of claim 1, wherein before running the whipstock assembly and the milling assembly through the rotary table, the method comprises marking anrorientationofthe whipstock assembly relative to the milling assembly.

11\. (Currently Amended) A method of assembling a bottom hole assembly for transport to a rig, the method comprising:engaging a portion of a whipstock of the bottom hole assembly on a first mount of a support member of an apparatus;
engaging a portion of a lead mill of the bottom hole assembly on a second mount of the support member of the apparatus;
connecting the lead mill to the whipstock with a releasable operational connection; and
supporting the whipstock, the lead mill, and the releasable operational connection with the support member for transportation of the bottom hole assembly to the rig for deployment.

12\. (Currently Amended) An apparatus used for transporting a bottom hole assembly to a rig and used for supporting the bottom hole assembly at a rotary table of the rig, the bottom hole assembly having a whipstock and a lead mill, the lead mill and the whipstock being connected together by a releasable operational connection, the apparatus comprising:a support member removably supporting the releasable operational connection between the whipstock and the lead mill, the support member having first and second mounts, the first mount configured to releasably engage a portion of the whipstock, the second mount configured to releasably engage a portion of the lead mill; and
a base member being configured to be positioned at the rotary table of the rig with an end of the whipstock extending through the base member, the base member being configured to support the support member.

13\. (Original) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein to releasably engage the portion of the whipstock, the first mount comprises at least one of:a first flange configured to affix with a fastener to a side of the whipstock; and
a second flange having a shoulder configured to vertically support a complementary shoulder on the whipstock.

14\. (Original) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein to releasably engage the portion of the lead mill, the second mount comprises a flange against which a lifting sub of the lead mill positions.

15\. (Original) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein to releasably engage the portion of the lead mill, the second mount comprises a clamp configured to clamp about a neck of the lead mill.

16\. (Original) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the clamp comprises at least one of:a shoulder to support an upset in the neck of the lead mill; and
a plurality of set screws threadeable against the neck of the lead mill.

17\. (Original) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the base member comprises a shoulder configured to vertically support a complementary shoulder on the whipstock.

18\. (Original) The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a body member removably connected to the base member, wherein the support member, the base member, and the body member connected together are configured to support the whipstock, the lead mill, and the releasable operational connection for transporting the bottom hole assembly.

19\. (Original) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein:the support member is releasably connected to the base member as a unit,
and the support member and the base member are connected together as the unit for transporting and supporting the bottom hole assembly;
or the support member is a separate component from the base member, the support member is used for transporting the bottom hole assembly at the rig, the base member is supported at the rotary table of the rig, and
the support member is supported by the base member for supporting the bottom hole assembly at the rig.

20\. (Original) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the base member comprises at least one of:a receptacle configured to receive an end of the support member therein for support the bottom hole assembly at the rig;
one or more drive pins extending therefrom and configured to engage in slots of a master drive bushing in the rotary table at the rig; and
one or more drive pins are removably disposed on the base member or are movable between extended and retracted conditions on the base member.

OFFICE ACTION:
EXAMINER'S AMENDMENT
Notice of 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 .
Reasons for Allowance
Claims 1-20 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claims 1, 11 and 12, see reasons for allowance in the Non-Final Rejection (05/12/2025) and the Applicant’s persuasive remarks filed on 06/16/2025.
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

APPLICANT REBUTTAL: REMARKS IN RESPONSE TO THE OFFICE ACTIONGENERAL REMARKSClaims 1-20 are pending.DRAWINGSThe drawings are objected to because Figures 3A, 3B, 5C, 6A, 6B, 8B-11B, 13A, 13B, 14A, 15A, and 22B have solid black shading areas.Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are filed herewith. In particular, replacement sheets (4/29), (6/29), (8/29), (10/29), (11/29), (12/29), (13/29), (15/29), (16/29), (17/29), and (26/29) include corrected Figures 3A- 3B, 5C, 6A-6B, 8B-8E, 9A-9E, 10A-10B, 11A-11B, 13A-13B, 14A, 15A, and 22B.With these corrections, the Applicant requests that the objection to the drawings be reconsidered and withdrawn.CLAIM OBJECTIONSClaim 12 is objected to due to an informality.Claim 12 has been amended to read "a base member being configured to be positioned..." With this correction, the Applicant requests that the objection to claim 12 be reconsidered and withdrawn.ALLOWABLE SUBJECT MATTER1.   Claims 12-20 are allowed.2.   Claims 2-4 and 6-9 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.Independent claim 1 has been amended to include limitations consistent with allowable claim 2 so that claim 1 and those claims depending therefrom are believed to be allowable.3.   Claim 11 has not been rejected over prior art but the claim is not allowable due to the 112(a) and 112(b) rejections.Independent claim 11 has been amended to address the 112(a) and 112(b) rejections so claim 11 is believed to be allowable.CLAIM REJECTIONS - 35 USC § 112 1.   Claim  11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), first paragraph. The rejection indicates that there is no support for the limitation "transporting the bottom hole assembly to the rig for deployment by supporting the whipstock, the lead mill, and the releasable operational connection with the support member." Claim 11 has been amended to rearrange the limitations so that claim 11 recites "supporting the whipstock, the lead mill, and the releasable operational connection with the support member for transportation of the bottom hole assembly to the rig for deployment." This is consistent with the present specification, such as described in ¶[0074] ("The cradle 101 along with the assembled equipment can be transported together to a jobsite and can then be used by crewmembers on the rig to handle and deploy the bottom hole assembly downhole."); ¶[0121] ("For shipping, the equipment can be loaded/secured into a shipping container or the like to be transported to a rig site."); ¶[0139] ("...the process 250 may include transporting the bottom hole assembly (20) to the rig for deployment by supporting the whipstock (32), the lead mill (52), and the releasable operational connection (25) with the support member (110) (block 208)."); etc.With this clarification, the Applicant requests that the rejection of claim 11 under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), first paragraph, be reconsidered and withdrawn.2.   Claims 10 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph, as being indefinite.Regarding claim 10, the rejection indicates that it is unclear how the limitation "marking relative orientation of the milling assembly and the whipstock assembly" should be interpreted. Claim 10 has been amended to recite "marking an orientation of the whipstock assembly relative to the milling assembly." With this clarification, the Applicant requests that the rejection of claim 10 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph, be reconsidered and withdrawn.Regarding claim 11, the scope of the limitation "transporting the bottom hole assembly to the rig for deployment by supporting the whipstock, the lead mill, and the releasable operational connection with the support member" is unclear. As acknowledged, the disclosure discusses how the "support member" supports the whipstock, the lead mill, and the releasable operational connection for transportation.Therefore, claim 11 has been clarified to recite "supporting the whipstock, the lead mill, and the releasable operational connection with the support member for transportation of the bottom hole assembly to the rig for deployment." With this clarification, the Applicant requests that the rejection of claim 11 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph, be reconsidered and withdrawn.PRIOR ART CLAIM REJECTIONSClaims 1 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bell (US20120241144) in view of Brown-Kerr (US20210372219).Independent claim 1 has been amended to include limitations consistent with claim 2. In particular, claim 1 is directed to a method performed at a rotary table of a rig. In the method, a whipstock assembly is lifted at the rig by engaging a component of the rig on a removable portion of the whipstock assembly. The whipstock assembly has a whipstock and a lead mill connected together by a releasable operational connection. The whipstock assembly is run at least partially through the rotary table of the rig. The whipstock assembly is supported at the rotary table of the rig using an apparatus by: supporting portions of the whipstock and the lead mill with a support member of the apparatus, supporting the support member on a base member of the apparatus, and supporting the base member at the rotary table. A milling assembly is connected to the lead mill of the whipstock assembly by removing the removable portion from the whipstock assembly and threading the milling assembly to the lead mill on the whipstock assembly. The lead mill and the whipstock assembly are unsupported from the support member, and the whipstock assembly and the milling assembly are run through the rotary table.Bell in view of Brown-Kerr fails to teach or suggest a method in as complete detail and as arranged in claim 1.Bell discloses how a whipstock 50 connected to a tubular 28 can be run down to a stump 106 of an anchor 80 at a mud-line jacket structure 107 on the sea floor or mud line 102. An elongated nose 18 of the whipstock 50 has a weight-set setting ring 88 that engages the stump 106. Set down weight shifts the weight-set setting ring 88, which pushes a deflector 58 on the whipstock 50 outward. Shear studs 32 are sheared, and clamps 30 with separate to allow the tubular 28 to move down along the slide surface 40 of the whipstock 50. The deflector 58 can then help guide the tubular 28 away from the whipstock 50, such as to a new target wellbore location 112. See Bell at ¶¶[0038], [0050]-[0053] and Figs. 14-19. Brown-Kerr is simply cited for teaching a rotary table and running a whipstock assembly and a milling assembly through a rotary table. See Action at 6.Bell and Brown-Kerr at least fail to teach or suggest lifting a whipstock assembly at a rig by engaging a component of the rig on a removable portion of the whipstock assembly, as required by claim 1. Moreover, Bell and Brown-Kerr at least fail to teach or suggest, while the whipstock assembly is supported at a rotary table of the rig using an apparatus, connecting a milling assembly to a lead mill of the whipstock assembly by removing a removable portion from the whipstock assembly and threading the milling assembly to the lead mill on the whipstock assembly, as required by claim 1. Accordingly, claim 1 and those claims depending therefrom are believed to be patentable over Bell in view of Brown-Kerr.CONCLUSIONNo fees are believed to be due at this time. The undersigned representative requests any extension of time that may be deemed necessary to further the prosecution of this application. Should any fees be due for any reason, the undersigned representative authorizes the Commissioner to charge any additional fees that may be required, or credit any overpayment, to Deposit Account No.603139, referencing 230-0823US.To facilitate the resolution of any issues or questions presented by this paper, Applicants respectfully request that the Examiner directly contact the undersigned by phone to further the discussion, reconsideration, and allowance of the claims.Respectfully submitted, /Sean McDermott/ Sean McDermott Reg. No. 49,000 Submitted Electronically Via EFS Web Cabello Hall Zinda, PLLC Customer No. 90116 801 Travis St, Suite 1610 Houston, Texas 77002 Voice: 832-631-9990 Fax: 832-631-9991