Office Action 2: Notice of Allowance (2025-04-25)

CLAIMS:
LISTING OF THE CLAIMS

This listing of claims will replace all prior versions, and listings, of claims in the application:

1\. (Currently Amended) A debris exclusion tool for use in a subterranean well, the debris exclusion tool comprising:a debris exclusion plug; andSVG {EMBED HERE} 0.1170.317SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.151.793
a tube having first and second opposite ends, the debris exclusion plug being releasably secured at the tube first end and preventing debris from falling into the tube first end, and the tube second end being configured to secure in a tubular string in the wellwiththesecondendbeingbelowthefirstend,-tse
2\. (Original) The debris exclusion tool of claim 1, further comprising a port that provides fluid communication between an interior and an exterior of the tube.SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.1535.873
3\. (Original) The debris exclusion tool of claim 2, in which the port is formed through a sidewall of the tube.SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.151.987
4\. (Currently Amended) The debris exclusion tool of claim 1, in which fluid communication between an interior and an exterior of the &a is prevented by theeSVG {EMBED HERE} 0.1331.29.plug.SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.1470.887
5\. (Currently Amended) The debris exclusion tool of claim 4, in which the i s c o nfiguredtoreleasefromSVG {EMBED HERE} 0.121.553SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.1531.997aeiSVG {EMBED HERE} 0.0932.687 and permit fluid SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.1533.35in response to a predetermined pressure differential from the interior to the exterior of the-e-,-eSVG {EMBED HERE} 0.1230.887.SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.1532.107

6\. (Original) The debris exclusion tool of claim 1, in which the debris exclusion plug comprises a degradable material.

7\. (Original) The debris exclusion tool of claim 6, in which the degradable material is configured to degrade in a predetermined amount of time in a well environment.

8\. (Original) The debris exclusion tool of claim 1, in which the debris exclusion plug is configured to dissolve in well fluid.

9\. (Original) The debris exclusion tool of claim 1, further comprising a coupling configured for connection as part of a tubular string, the coupling including a flow passage extending axially through the coupling.

10\. (Original) The debris exclusion tool of claim 9, in which the tube is secured to the coupling with the flow passage in fluid communication with an interior of the tube.

11\. (Currently Amended) A method of establishing fluid communication through a tubular string in a subterranean well, the method comprising:blocking a first end of a tube with a debris exclusion plug; andSVG {EMBED HERE} 0.151.973SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.1534.753positioning the tube withinthe tubular string a second end Of the tube being positioned below the first end, and an annulus being formed between the tube and the tubular string.

12\. (Original) The method of claim 11, further comprising providing fluid communication between an interior and an exterior of the tube via at least one port.

13\. (Original) The method of claim 12, further comprising forming the port through a sidewall of the tube.
14\. (Currently Amended) The method of claim 11, in which the positioning comprises securing the second end in the tubular string above-;-pump-out plugSVG {EMBED HERE} 0.1130.633
15\. (Original) The method of claim 14, further comprising applying increased pressure through an interior of the tube, thereby discharging the pump-out plug from the distal end of the tubular string.SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.1534.14

16\. (Original) The method of claim 11, in which the positioning comprises connecting the second end to a coupling connected in the tubular string.

17\. (Original) The method of claim 16, in which a flow passage extends axially through the coupling, and in which the connecting comprises providing fluid communication between the flow passage and an interior of the tube.

18\. (Original) The method of claim 11, further comprising applying a predetermined pressure differential from an interior to an exterior of the tube, thereby discharging the debris exclusion plug from the first end of the tube.

19\. (Original) The method of claim 11, further comprising the debris exclusion plug degrading in the well.

20\. (Original) The method of claim 11, further comprising the debris exclusion plug dissolving in the well.

OFFICE ACTION:
DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to the Applicant’s Reply filed on March 28, 2025. Claims 1-20 are pending and addressed below.
Response to Amendment
Claims 1, 4-5, 11, and 14 have been amended. Claims 1-20 are pending and addressed below.
Reasons for Allowance
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The claims are allowable over the closest prior art “herein Fielder, III et al., US 2017/0328190 (hereinafter Fielder)” and “herein McFarlin et al., US 2022/0341279 (hereinafter McFarlin)”, for the following reasons:
Fielder discloses a debris exclusion tool (device 10) for use in a subterranean well (device and for inhibiting particle, sand, accumulation, see abstract), including a debris exclusion plug (check valve 21); and a tube (central production tube 16) having first and second opposite ends (upper and lower ends shown in Fig 2), the debris exclusion plug (21) being releasably secured at the tube first end (check valve 21 opens and closes so is consider to be releasably secured) and preventing debris from falling into the tube first end (check valve 21 prevents particle flow into the tube 16, par [0024]), and the tube second end (lower end) being configured to secure in a tubular string in the well (device 10 is inserted as part of the production tubing string shown in Fig 1, production tubing 12 leading to the surface and ESP 14 located downhole adjacent to the device 10) with the second end being below the first end (lower end is below the upper end as shown in Fig 1-2).
Fielder fails to disclose the second end being disposed in the tubular string above a pump-out plug that is configured to block fluid flow through a distal end of the tubular sting.
McFarlin discloses a debris exclusion tool for use in a subterranean well (see Fig 2), the debris exclusion tool comprising: a debris exclusion plug (plug 28); and a tube (tubular mandrel 32) having first and second opposite ends (upper and lower ends shown in Fig 2), the debris exclusion plug (28) being releasably secured at the tube first end (see Fig 23, internal plug 28 can be removable, par [0019]) and preventing debris from falling into the tube first end, and the tube second end (lower end) being configured to secure in a tubular string in the well (slips 36 are radially outwardly extended into gripping engagement with the casing, see Fig 2, par [0036]) with the second end being below the first end (lower end is below the upper end as shown in Fig 2).
McFarlin fails to disclose the second end being disposed in the tubular string above a pump-out plug that is configured to block fluid flow through a distal end of the tubular sting.
It would not have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to secure the second end in the tubular string above a plump-out plug that blocks fluid flow through a distal end of the tubular string, as the second end disclosed by Fielder is already attached to an ESP and the second end of McFarlin is required to be open, and modification of Fielder or McFarlin, such that the such that the second end is secured above a pump-out plug that blocks fluid flow through a distal end of the tubular string, would destroy the intended purpose of Fielder and  McFarlin.
Fielder and McFarlin fail to suggest alone, or in combination, the limitations of
“the second end being disposed in the tubular string above a pump-out plug that is configured to block fluid flow through a distal end of the tubular sting” as recited in claim 1; and
“positioning the tube within the tubular string above a pump-out plug that is configured to block flow through a distal end of the tubular string” as recited in claim 11.
The Examiner is unaware of prior art that reasonably suggests alone, or in combination, the limitations of the invention as claimed.
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: REMARKSReconsideration of this application, in view of the foregoing amendment and the following remarks, is respectfully requested.Claims 1-20 were originally presented for consideration and are currently pending in this application.The examiner's indication that claims 14 and 15 contain allowable subject matter is noted with appreciation.The following rejections and objections were set forth in the Office Action:1. Claims 1-5, 9-13, and 16-18 stand rejectedunder 35 U.S.C. §102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Publication No. 2017/0328190 (Fielder).2. Claims 1, 4-7, 11, 18, and 19 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. §102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Publication No. 2022/0341279 (McFarlin).3. Claims 1 and 11 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. §102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WIPO Publication No. W02023/131805 (Head).4. Claims 1, 6-8, 11, and 20 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. §102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Publication No. 2019/0144733 (Fripp).5. Claims 14 and 15 stand objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim.Regarding the anticipation rejections of claims 1 and 11, please note that these claims have been amended above to variously require a tube, having a debris exclusion plug, positioned in a tubular string and positioned above a pump-out plug, which is indicated as being allowable subject matter.Therefore, withdrawal of the anticipation rejections of these claims and their dependents is respectfully requested.By making these amendments above, Applicant is not acquiescing, but rather amending to facilitate expeditious prosecution. Furthermore, the Applicant reserves the right to pursue the originally claimed subject matter in one or more continuation applications.The absence of a reply to a specific issue or comment does not signify agreement with or concession of that issue or comment. Because the arguments made above may not be exhaustive, there may well be reasons for patentability of any or all pending claims (or other claims) that have not been expressed. Finally, nothing in this paper should be construed as intent to concede any issue with regard to any claim, except as specifically stated in this paper.Applicant respectfully submits that the present application is now in condition for allowance. Accordingly, the Examiner is requested to issue a Notice of Allowance for all pending claims.Should the Examiner deem that any further action by the Applicant would be desirable for placing this application in even better condition for issue, the Examiner is requested to telephone Applicant's undersigned representative at the number listed below.As the three-month deadline for filing this reply is April 28, 2025, the Applicant believes there are no extension fees due. However, if the Commissioner believes additional fees are due, the Commissioner is hereby authorized to charge any fees which may be required, or credit any overpayment, to Deposit Account Number 50-5475 referencing matter No. 7667-EC-0001-US/PITTMAN.Respectfully submitted, March 28, 2025


CITED REFERENCE SUMMARIES: Ref US20170328190: Claims:
1. A device for preventing particle interference with lifting equipment in a well bore having a production tubing string, comprising:
an elongated tube positioned between the lifting equipment and the surface and in fluid communication with the lifting equipment and the production tubing string; a housing positioned around the tube defining an annulus portion between the tube and housing; a check valve connected to the tube proximate the distal end of the tube nearest the lifting equipment operable to permit fluid flow from the lifting equipment into the tube and to prevent fluid flow from the tube to the lifting equipment; a plurality of ports positioned in the wall of the tube operable to permit fluid flow from the tube into the annulus during operation of the lifting equipment and operable to inhibit particles from entering the tube when the lifting equipment is not operating, wherein the ports are spaced along the tube and oriented at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the elongated tube relative to the distal end.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the lifting equipment is an electric submersible pump (ESP).
3. The device of claim 1, wherein the ports are oriented in a direction opposite the direction of fluid flow in the tube during operation of the lifting equipment.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein the ports are at an acute angle between 30-60′ relative to the wall of the tube.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein the largest number of ports are positioned nearest the distal end.
6. The device of claim 5, wherein the fewest number of ports are positioned nearest the proximal end.
7. The device of claim 1, including an outer cylinder surrounding the tube and defining the annulus between the tube and the cylinder.
8. The device of claim 1, wherein the well bore includes a horizontal section and the lifting equipment and device are positioned in the horizontal section.
9. The device of claim 1, wherein the ports have an angle and size that, along with the given thickness of the tube, inhibit particles from movement into the tube when the operation of the lifting equipment is stopped.
10. A method of operating lifting equipment in a well bore comprising:
positioning the lifting equipment in the well bore downhole from the surface and operable to pump fluid through a production tubing string to the surface; connecting a particle inhibiting device to the production tubing string between the lifting equipment and the surface, the device having a central tubular portion, a surrounding annulus portion, and a plurality of spaced ports communicating there between, and a check valve operable to prevent fluid flow from the tube in the direction of the lifting equipment; operating the lifting equipment to flow fluid into the tubular portion through the ports into the annulus portion and into the production tubing; and containing particles in the fluid from accumulating on the lifting equipment when the lifting equipment is not in use by trapping a substantial portion of particles in the annulus, whereby the ports inhibit particle flow into the tubing portion and the check valve prevents fluid flow in the direction of the lifting equipment.
11. The method of claim 10, including preventing fluid from flowing in the tubular portion when the lifting equipment is not in use using the ports and a cap on the tubular portion.
12. The method of claim 10, including preventing fluid from flowing to the lifting equipment when the lifting equipment is not in use using said check valve and allowing fluid flow from the lifting equipment into the tube when the lifting equipment is in use.
13. The method of claim 10, the tubular portion defined by an end cap at a proximal end and the check valve at the distal end, the ports being more dense closest to the distal end.
14. The method of claim 10, operating the lifting equipment after particles have accumulated in the annular portion to expel the particles into the production tubing towards the surface.
15. The method of claim 10, the ports being oriented at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the elongated tube relative to the distal end, when the lifting equipment is not in use the angle of the ports describing a tortuous path for particle flow from the annulus portion into the tubular portion.
Ref US20220341279: Claims:
1. A well barrier for use in a subterranean well, the well barrier comprising:
an inner mandrel; a flow passage extending longitudinally through the inner mandrel; and a plug releasably secured relative to the inner mandrel, the plug blocking fluid flow through the flow passage, and the plug including a shoulder that prevents the plug from displacing completely through the inner mandrel in a first longitudinal direction.
2. The well barrier of claim 1, in which at least one seal is sealingly engaged between the plug and the flow passage.
3. The well barrier of claim 2, in which the at least one seal comprises first and second seals, a body of the plug is coated with a coating material, and an area longitudinally between the first and second seals is not coated with the coating material.
4. The well barrier of claim 3, in which a degrading material is positioned in the body of the plug.
5. The well barrier of claim 1, in which the plug is releasable for displacement out of the inner mandrel in response to application of a positive pressure differential in the first longitudinal direction.
6. The well barrier of claim 1, in which the plug is releasable for displacement out of the inner mandrel in response to application of a positive pressure differential in a second longitudinal direction opposite to the first longitudinal direction.
7. The well barrier of claim 1, in which a shear member releasably secures the plug in the flow passage.
8-20. (canceled)