Appeal No. 2002-2203 Page 2
Application No. 09/584,526
BACKGROUND
The appellants’ invention relates to a method for controlling the riser base
pressure in an offshore well and detecting well control problems, such as “kicks,” a
condition in which riser base pressure is not sufficient to prevent the influx of formation
fluids into the wellbore, or “lost circulation,” a condition in which the riser base pressure
exceeds the natural fracture pressure of the gradient, thereby possibly leading to a
blowout situation (specification, page 1). The objective of appellants’ method is to
maintain the hydrostatic pressure of the drilling fluid adjacent an exposed formation
above the formation’s pore pressure but below the formation’s fracture pressure. A
copy of the claims under appeal is set forth in the appendix to the appellants’ brief.
The examiner relied upon the following prior art references in rejecting the
appealed claims:
Dower 3,470,972 Oct. 7, 1969
Bruce et al. (Bruce) 3,815,673 Jun. 11, 1974
Calcar et al. (Calcar) 5,006,845 Apr. 9, 1991
Maus et al. (Maus), “Instrumentation Requirements for Kick Detection in Deep Water,”
August 1979.
Claim 1 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being unpatentable over
Bruce in view of Dower.
Claim 12 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being unpatentable over
Bruce in view of Calcar.
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