Appeal No. 94-1451
Application 07/839,640
This is an appeal pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 134 from the final
rejection of claims 1, 3-9 and 14-19. Claims 2 and 10-13 have
been allowed.
Claims 1 and 3 are representative and are reproduced below:
1. A foam composition for improving sweep efficiency in a
subterranean oil-bearing formation comprising:
a water-soluble, carboxylate-containing polymer selected
from a synthetic polymer or a biopolymer;
a trivalent chromium-containing crosslinking agent;
a surfactant;
an aqueous liquid solvent, the combination of said polymer,
said crosslinking agent and said surfactant in said solvent
defining a liquid foaming composition; and
a foaming gas.
3. The composition of claim 1 wherein said polymer is a
biopolymer selected from xanthan gum, guar gum, succinoglycan,
scleroglucan, polyvinylsaccharides, carboxymethylcellulose, o-
carboxychitosans, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose,
modified starches or mixtures thereof.
The reference of record relied upon by the examiner is:
Stern 5,124,363 Jun. 23, 1992
(filed Mar. 26, 1991)
The appealed claims stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as
unpatentable over Stern.
Essentially for the reasons set forth by the examiner in his
answer, we affirm this rejection.
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