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`Paper No. __
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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`_______________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`_____________
`
`GREENE’S ENERGY GROUP, LLC
`Petitioner
`v.
`
`OIL STATES ENERGY SERVICE, L.L.C.
`Patent Owner
`
`___________________
`
`Case IPR2014-00216
`Patent No. 6,179,053
`___________________
`
`PETITIONER OPPOSITION TO MOTION TO AMEND
`
`___________________
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`Inter Partes Review No.: 2014-00216
`
`
`Petitioner Opposition to Motion to Amend
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 
`I. 
`II.  Dallas ’118 Includes a “packoff assembly that seals against the fixed-
`point packoff within the tubing head spool” ................................................... 2 
`III.  Dallas ’118 Requires a “Setting Tool” ............................................................ 3 
`IV.  A Mechanical Locking Mechanism Was a Known Substitute for a
`Hydraulic Piston and Cylinder at the time of the ’053 Patent ......................... 6 
`V.  OSES Failed to Demonstrate Commercial Success of the Claimed
`Device. ............................................................................................................. 9 
`A. 
`Full-Bore Access is Essential for Multistage Isolation Tools ............. 10 
`B. 
`The Amended Claims Do Not Require Full-Bore Access .................. 11 
`C.  OSES Fails to Demonstrate Commercial Success of the Claimed
`Device. ...................................................................................... 13 
`VI.  Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 15 
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`Inter Partes Review No.: 2014-00216
`
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`Petitioner Opposition to Motion to Amend
`EXHIBIT LIST
`
`
`
`
`Exhibit
`Ex. #
`1001 U.S. Patent No. 6,179,053 (“’053 patent”)
`1003 Canadian Patent Application 2,195,118 (“Dallas ’118”)
`1004 U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,183 (“McLeod”)
`1005 U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,079 (“Herricks”)
`1009 October 28, 2014 Deposition of L. Murray Dallas (“10/28/14 Dallas
`Dep.”)
`1011 Deposition of Dr. Gary R. Wooley (Nov. 12, 2014) (“Wooley Dep.”)
`1013 Deposition of Thomas W. Britven (Nov. 11, 2014) (“Britven Dep.”)
`1014 Declaration of Gregg S. Perkin In Support Petitioner Opposition to
`Motion to Amend
`1021 U.S. Patent No. 5,372,202 (“Dallas ’202”)
`1022 U.S. Patent No. 4,867,243 (“’243 patent”)
`2012
`Expert Declaration in IPR2014-00216
`for U.S. Patent No. 6,179,053 by Dallas for
`Lockdown Mechanism for Well Tools Requiring Fixed-Point Packoff by
`Dr. Gary R. Wooley (“Wooley Response Decl.”)
`Expert Declaration for the OSES Motion to Amend
`in IPR2014-00216 for U.S. Patent No. 6,179,053 by Dallas for
`Lockdown Mechanism for Well Tools Requiring Fixed-Point Packoff by
`Dr. Gary R. Wooley (“Wooley MTA Decl.”)
`2018 Declaration of Thomas W. Britven (“Britven Decl.”)
`2020 U.S. Patent 4,241,786 (“Bullen”)
`
`2017
`
`
`
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`Inter Partes Review No.: 2014-00216
`Petitioner Opposition to Motion to Amend
`I.
`Introduction
`
`
`
`
`Patent Owner, Oil States Energy Services, LLC, has moved to amend
`
`challenged claims 1 and 22 by adding three limitations: (1) the mandrel includes a
`
`packoff assembly that seals against a fixed-point packoff in a tubing head spool of
`
`a wellhead assembly; (2) the apparatus includes a setting tool that is removable
`
`from the other portions of the apparatus for inserting a bottom end of the mandrel
`
`through the wellhead; and (3) the lockdown mechanisms are mechanical and the
`
`second lockdown mechanism locks without the use of hydraulic pressure.
`
`As discussed in GEG’s Reply, Canadian Patent Application 2,195,118 (“Dallas
`
`’118”) (Ex. 1003) discloses every limitation of unamended claims 1 and 22 and
`
`therefore clearly anticipates those claims. Moreover, the additional limitations
`
`proposed by OSES are present in Dallas ’118 and/or constitute an obvious
`
`modification of Dallas ’118, and therefore fail to distinguish the amended claims
`
`over the prior art.
`
`Dallas ’118 clearly discloses a mandrel with a packoff assembly that seals
`
`against a fixed-point packoff in a tubing head spool of a wellhead assembly and
`
`therefore identically meets limitation (1).
`
`With respect to limitation (2), the mandrel of Dallas ’118 protrudes from the
`
`bottom of the tool and a separate tool is required to insert the bottom end of the
`
`mandrel through the wellhead. As used in the ’053 patent, the nonspecific term
`
`
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`Inter Partes Review No.: 2014-00216
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`Petitioner Opposition to Motion to Amend
`“setting tool” applies to any tool used for this purpose and therefore limitation (2)
`
`is met by Dallas ’118. At the very least, it would have been obvious to use exactly
`
`the same prior art separate “setting tool” as disclosed in the ’053 patent to insert
`
`the mandrel of Dallas ’118.
`
`Finally, the prior art makes clear that use of a well-known wellhead isolation
`
`tool mechanical lockdown mechanism in place of a hydraulic locking mechanism
`
`as required by limitation (3) was a design choice that would have been obvious to
`
`one of ordinary skill at the time of the filing date of the ’053 patent in 1999.
`
`OSES also alleges that the tool of amended claim 1 achieved commercial
`
`success. However, OSES fails to show any nexus between the alleged commercial
`
`success and amended claim 1. In addition to all of the features of amended claim 1
`
`being shown in the prior art, OSES admits that full bore access is required for
`
`commercial success, but is not a feature of amended claim 1.
`
`II. Dallas ’118 Includes a “packoff assembly that seals against the fixed-
`point packoff within the tubing head spool”
`
`The first additional feature proposed by OSES in amended claims 1 and 22, a
`
`packoff assembly that seals against a fixed-point packoff within a tubing head
`
`spool, is identically met in the Dallas ’118.
`
`In Figs. 3 and 4 of Dallas ’118, shown below, the mandrel of claims 1 and 22 is
`
`met by mandrel 28, mandrel extension 58 and packoff assembly 68, which packs
`
`off in tubing head spool 82. Dallas ’118, 00014:9-13, 00014:25-29, 00015:17-31;
`
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`Inter Partes Review No.: 2014-00216
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`Petitioner Opposition to Motion to Amend
`see also Ex. 1014, Perkin Decl., ¶¶ 38-39. Although Dallas ’118 refers to element
`
`82 as a “tubing head,” as Dr. Wooley explained, the terms “tubing head,” “tubing
`
`head spool,” and “tubing spool” are used interchangeably in the art to describe the
`
`same component. Ex. 1011, Wooley Dep., 20:16-21:8; see also Perkin Decl., ¶ 39.
`
`
`
`Dallas ’118, Figs. 3-4.
`
`Element 68 of Dallas ’118 is a packoff assembly that seals against bit guide 84,
`
`which forms a fixed point in the tubing head spool 82. Dallas ’118, 000016:1-12;
`
`000016:31-000017:3; see also Perkin Decl., ¶ 39. Accordingly, this addition to the
`
`claims proposed by OSES is fully met by Dallas ’118.
`
`III. Dallas ’118 Requires a “Setting Tool”
`OSES argues that Dallas ’118 does not disclose a separate “setting tool” as
`
`required by the amended claims. However, OSES never defines “setting tool” and
`
`never explains the basis of its argument that this feature is not met by Dallas ’118.
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`Inter Partes Review No.: 2014-00216
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`Petitioner Opposition to Motion to Amend
`As shown in Figs. 7 and 8 of the ’053 patent, the bottom of mandrel 22 extends
`
`below the base 28 of the isolation tool. Because of this configuration, a separate
`
`“setting tool” is used to insert the bottom end of the mandrel into the well. See
`
`Perkin Decl. ¶ 44. After the mandrel is inserted into the well, the “setting tool” is
`
`removed and the second lockdown mechanism moves the mandrel downwardly to
`
`seal the bottom of the mandrel against the fixed point for packoff 24 in the tubing
`
`spool 102. ’053, 8:5-34; see also Perkin Decl. ¶ 45.
`
`As shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of Dallas ’118 (above), the mandrel extension 58
`
`extends below the base 22 of the isolation tool in part to accommodate wells with
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`different configurations including tubing spools with different diameters (Dallas
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`’118, 00016:1-12). See also Perkin Decl. ¶¶ 48-49. Consequently, a separate tool
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`is needed to insert the mandrel of Dallas ’118 into the wellhead. See Perkin Decl.
`
`¶¶ 48-52. A crane truck with additional gear or a specialized tool could be used for
`
`this purpose. See Perkin Decl. ¶¶ 53-54, 59. In either case, the term “setting tool”
`
`would be an appropriate description for the tool. Perkin Decl. ¶¶ 54, 59.
`
`OSES does not define the term “setting tool.” Dr. Wooley’s Patent Owner
`
`Response Declaration describes a setting tool as a “mandrel injection mechanism”
`
`and he testified that the term “setting tool” is nonspecific, but is “usually the name
`
`given to a device for inserting some sort of tool.” Ex. 2012, Wooley Response
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`Inter Partes Review No.: 2014-00216
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`Petitioner Opposition to Motion to Amend
`Decl., ¶ 36; Wooley Dep., 61:17-21. Dr. Wooley did not provide any limitation on
`
`the use of this term.
`
`Dr. Wooley agreed that the mandrel extension 58 and packoff assembly 68 of
`
`Figs. 3 and 4 of Dallas ’118 must always extend below the base 22 of the BOP
`
`protector 10. See Wooley Dep., 55:24-56:14. He also agreed that the mandrel
`
`extension 58 must be inserted into the wellhead prior to the ’118 tool being bolted
`
`onto the wellhead by a tool which could be called a “setting tool.”
`
`Q. Right. So the ’118 patent actually teaches that the extension should
`be protruding below the bottom of the cylinder; isn't that correct?
`A. In Figure 3, yes.
`Q. Yes. So if it’s protruding below the bottom of the cylinder, then
`you do need some other implement to put it into the well in the first
`place; isn’t that correct?
`A. That’s possible.
`Q. Okay. And one could call that implement a setting tool, if one
`desired, couldn’t they?
`A. People can use whatever names they like.
`Wooley Dep., 55:24-56:14.
`
`OSES own expert therefore agrees that a separate tool, which can be called a
`
`“setting tool” must be used to insert the bottom of the mandrel of Dallas ’118 into
`
`the well. Dr. Wooley also agreed that a crane truck or a specialized tool could be
`
`used for this purpose. Wooley Dep., 62:4-13.
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`Inter Partes Review No.: 2014-00216
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`Petitioner Opposition to Motion to Amend
`Even if the newly claimed ’053 “setting tool” referred to a specialized tool, it
`
`would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art in 1999 to use such
`
`a specialized tool to insert the mandrel of Dallas ’118 Fig. 3 into a well. See
`
`Perkin Decl., ¶¶ 55-59. Indeed, the ’053 patent does not purport to have invented a
`
`separate “setting tool.” Rather, the ’053 patent refers to known prior art tools as
`
`“setting tools.” ’053 patent, 8:43-48; 9:67-10:12. For example, the separate
`
`“setting tool” shown in Figs. 8 and 9 of the ’053 patent is the tool disclosed in
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`another one of Mr. Dallas’s prior art patents, U.S. Patent No. 4,867,243 (the “’243
`
`patent”) (Ex. 1022). ’053 patent, 8:43-48.
`
`A person of ordinary skill in the art would have known that a separate,
`
`specialized “setting tool” such as the ’243 patent could be used to insert the
`
`mandrel of Dallas ’118 into the well. See Perkin Decl., ¶ 59. OSES never argues
`
`otherwise and failed to meet its burden to demonstrate the patentability of amended
`
`claims 1 and 22.
`
`IV. A Mechanical Locking Mechanism Was a Known Substitute for a
`Hydraulic Piston and Cylinder at the time of the ’053 Patent
`
`OSES argues that Dallas ’118 relies on hydraulic pressure to secure the mandrel
`
`in position and therefore cannot meet the newly added limitation requiring the
`
`mandrel to be locked without the use of hydraulic pressure. It is correct that the
`
`’053 patent suggests a mechanical locking mechanism because a hydraulic
`
`lockdown mechanism is considered less secure since “hydraulic pressure may be
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`Inter Partes Review No.: 2014-00216
`
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`Petitioner Opposition to Motion to Amend
`lost for a variety of reasons.” ’053 patent, 3:5-9. However, OSES never addresses
`
`the obviousness of substituting a mechanical mechanism for the hydraulic
`
`mechanism of Dallas ’118 in view of the many prior art teachings of just such a
`
`substitution to avoid the possibility of pressure loss in a hydraulic system.
`
`The basic teaching of Dallas ’118 is a tool with broad adjustability to force a
`
`mandrel downwardly to form a seal against a bit guide in a wellhead. See Dallas
`
`’118, 000015:17-000016:12, 000016:31-000017:3; see also Perkin Decl., ¶ 61.
`
`Dallas ’118 teaches that a hydraulic cylinder and piston would serve this purpose.
`
`Dallas ’118, 000015:23-000016:12; see also Perkin Decl., ¶ 61.
`
`During the 1998-99 time frame, several prior art patents in the wellhead
`
`isolation tool art specifically disclose that mechanical locking mechanisms can be
`
`substituted for or used in addition to hydraulic locking mechanisms to avoid
`
`potential problems with hydraulic seals. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,183
`
`(“McLeod”) (Ex. 1004) discloses that drive systems for inserting high pressure
`
`tubing using hydraulic cylinders were known in the art. McLeod gives as one
`
`example Canadian Pat. No. 1,094,945 (which is equivalent to U.S. Patent
`
`4,241,786 (“Bullen”) (Ex. 2020)), which uses one or a pair of hydraulic cylinders
`
`to insert and hold the mandrel of a wellhead isolation tool in an operative position.
`
`McLeod discloses that hydraulic cylinders generally function in an acceptable
`
`manner, but “. . . have seals which can leak and cause movement problems and
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`Inter Partes Review No.: 2014-00216
`
`
`Petitioner Opposition to Motion to Amend
`sometimes complete failure of the system.” McLeod, 1:19-22. To avoid the
`
`potential problems with hydraulic systems, McLeod teaches using a self-locking
`
`screw jack in place of the hydraulic cylinder of Bullen for inserting and holding a
`
`mandrel of a wellhead isolation tool in position. Based on this teaching, McLeod
`
`suggests a system in which the mandrel is held in position with a mechanical
`
`mechanism. See also Perkin Decl., ¶¶ 63-65.
`
`Dr. Wooley agreed that the screws of McLeod can be used to hold a mandrel in
`
`position:
`
`Q. Okay. That’s right. And McLeod uses a screw to hold it in
`position?
`A. That’s correct.
`
`Wooley Dep., 46:12-14.
`
`A person of ordinary skill in the art would have considered it obvious at the
`
`time of the ’053 patent to use a mechanical mechanism such as a self-locking
`
`screw jack, as taught by McLeod, in place of the hydraulic cylinder of Dallas ’118
`
`in order to avoid the drawbacks of hydraulic cylinders. See Perkin Decl., ¶ 65, 71.
`
`Further, Bullen itself even teaches that mechanical locking mechanisms, such as
`
`latches and screwed unions, can be used to reinforce hydraulic cylinders. Bullen,
`
`4:25-37; see also Perkin Decl., ¶ 67.
`
`Likewise, U.S. Patent 5,372,202 another patent naming Mr. Dallas as the sole
`
`inventor (“Dallas ’202”) (Ex. 1021) also teaches that a mechanical system for
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`Inter Partes Review No.: 2014-00216
`
`
`Petitioner Opposition to Motion to Amend
`inserting and holding an isolation tool mandrel is more reliable than a purely
`
`hydraulic system:
`
`In addition, the ball screw 90 can be locked in any position even in the
`event that hydraulic pressure to the drive motor (not illustrated) is lost
`due to a mechanical malfunction or a hydraulic seal rupture. This
`ensures that a mandrel cannot be ejected from a well during a well
`stimulation operation.
`
`Dallas ’202, 9:55-61; Perkin Decl., ¶¶ 66, 72.
`
`Therefore, although a determination of obviousness based on teachings from
`
`multiple references does not require an actual, physical substitution of elements
`
`(See In re Mouttet, 686 F.3d 1322, 1332 (Fed. Cir. 2012)), a person of ordinary
`
`skill in the art would have recognized that a mechanical locking mechanism, such
`
`as a screw, could be used in place of or in addition to Dallas ’118’s hydraulic
`
`locking mechanism. See also Perkin Decl., ¶¶ 69-72. OSES failed to consider
`
`such prior art teachings and has failed to carry its burden to demonstrate the
`
`patentability of amended claims 1 and 22.
`
`V. OSES Failed to Demonstrate Commercial Success of the Claimed
`Device.
`OSES argues that the alleged invention of amended claim 1 has achieved
`
`commercial success based on revenue data from a “Stage Frac Tool” used by
`
`OSES. OSES has not alleged commercial success for amended claim 22:
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`Inter Partes Review No.: 2014-00216
`
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`Petitioner Opposition to Motion to Amend
`Q. All right. So your declaration is only in support of an amendment
`to claim 1; is that right?
`A. That’s correct, sir.
`
`Ex. 1013, Britven Dep., 6:24-7:3.
`
`According to OSES’s own witnesses, the driving factor behind any commercial
`
`success of the Stage Frac Tool is that the Stage Frac Tool provides full-bore access
`
`to the casing. However, as admitted by OSES own witnesses, although the prior
`
`art including Dallas ’118 clearly shows isolation tools with full bore access,
`
`amended claim 1 is not limited to wellhead isolation tools that provide full-bore
`
`access.
`
`Full-Bore Access is Essential for Multistage Isolation Tools
`
`A.
`
`Full-bore access refers to a wellhead isolation tool that has a mandrel with an
`
`inner diameter that is either larger or substantially the same as the inner diameter
`
`of the casing of the well. See Perkin Decl. ¶ 77; see also Ex. 2017, Wooley MTA
`
`Decl., ¶ 27. By having such a mandrel, the wellhead isolation tool is able to
`
`provide access to a casing such that fracking fluids, plugs and perforating guns can
`
`be run through the tool without the diameter of the mandrel creating any sort of
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`obstruction. See Perkin Decl., ¶ 78; see also Wooley MTA Decl., ¶ 27. This
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`allows perforating guns and plugs to be inserted into and removed from a well
`
`during a multistage fracking operation without the removal of the wellhead
`
`isolation tool. See Perkin Decl., ¶ 78; see also Wooley MTA Decl., ¶ 27. Because
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`Inter Partes Review No.: 2014-00216
`
`
`Petitioner Opposition to Motion to Amend
`the wellhead isolation tool does not need to removed, several stages can be fracked
`
`at a time before the wellhead isolation tool needs to be removed, thereby creating
`
`significant savings in time. Wooley MTA Decl., ¶ 127; Ex. 1009, 10/28/14 Dallas
`
`Dep., 34:15-35:15; see also Perkin Decl., ¶ 79.
`
`The Amended Claims Do Not Require Full-Bore Access
`
`B.
`
`The words “full bore access” are nowhere in the amended claims. Wooley
`
`Dep., 66:7-12. Moreover, although Dr. Wooley’s declaration lists as one of the
`
`elements of the amended claims “The mandrel having substantially the same inner
`
`diameter as the casing of the well, and including a packoff assembly that seals
`
`against the fixed-point packoff within the tubing head spool,” on cross examination
`
`Dr. Wooley admitted that this feature is not in the amended claims. Wooley MTA
`
`Decl., page 52 (between ¶¶ 121 and 122); Wooley Dep., 73:5-12.
`
`OSES and Dr. Wooley appear to take the position that a fixed-point packoff in
`
`the tubing head spool is sufficient for commercial success. Wooley MTA Decl., ¶
`
`126. However, the evidence is clear that an isolation tool with a fixed point
`
`packoff in a tubing head spool does not alone provide full-bore access. For
`
`example, Fig. 9 of the ’053 patent discloses an isolation tool with a fixed-point
`
`packoff that does not provide full-bore access.
`
`Fig. 9 of the ’053 patent, below, shows a wellhead isolation tool with a mandrel
`
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`Inter Partes Review No.: 2014-00216
`Petitioner Opposition to Motion to Amend
`
`
`
`
`
`
`22 sealed in a tubing hanger 122 mounted inside tubing spool 120. ’053 patent,
`
`9:31-62; Perkin Decl., ¶¶ 81-82. The mandrel 22 seals against an annular step on
`
`the tubing hanger inside the tubing spool. This seal is a fixed point packoff. ’053
`
`patent, 9:50-52. However, Fig. 9 shows the mandrel 22 extending into the
`
`production tubing 134, thereby precluding full-bore access to the casing because,
`
`as is well known, the production tubing has a smaller diameter than the casing and
`
`is positioned inside the casing. See Perkin Decl., ¶ 82.
`
`Accordingly, Fig. 9 of the ’053 patent shows a wellhead isolation tool with a
`
`fixed-point packoff in a tubing head spool that does not provide full-bore access to
`
`the casing, yet Fig. 9 still embodies all of the limitations of the amended claims,
`
`including a separate setting tool and mechanical first and second lockdown
`
`mechanisms. Perkin Decl., ¶ 83. OSES does not and could not argue that the
`
`embodiment of Fig. 9 has met with commercial success.
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`Inter Partes Review No.: 2014-00216
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`Petitioner Opposition to Motion to Amend
`Also, prior art U.S. Patent No. 4,076,079 (“Herricks”) (Ex.1005) discloses in
`
`Fig. 1, a wellhead isolation tool with a fixed-point packoff within a tubing head
`
`spool, which it describes as “Prior Art.” See Perkin Decl., ¶ 84. This prior art tool
`
`uses a mandrel with an inner diameter that is substantially smaller than the inner
`
`diameter of the well casing and therefore does not provide full-bore access. See
`
`Perkin Decl., ¶ 84. In fact, the very invention of Herricks is an improved apparatus
`
`of Fig. 2 that has a fixed-point packoff in a tubing head spool that provides full-
`
`bore access to the casing. See Perkin Decl., ¶ 86. Herricks is further evidence that
`
`a fixed point packoff inside a tubing spool does not of itself provide full bore
`
`access to the casing.
`
`It is clear, therefore that the amended claims do not require full-bore access.
`
`Perkin Decl., ¶ ¶ 80-85.
`
`C. OSES Fails to Demonstrate Commercial Success of the Claimed
`Device.
`
`
`As is apparent from the foregoing, any commercial success that may have been
`
`enjoyed by OSES’ Stage Frac Tool was a result of full-bore access, a feature that
`
`lacks a nexus to the amended claims, and is thus legally irrelevant. First, any
`
`commercial success must be the result of a claimed feature. See Ormco Corp. v.
`
`Align Tech., Inc., 463 F.3d 1299, 1312 (Fed. Cir. 2006) (“[I]f the commercial
`
`success is due to an unclaimed feature of the device, the commercial success is
`
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`Inter Partes Review No.: 2014-00216
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`Petitioner Opposition to Motion to Amend
`irrelevant.”); In re Kao, 639 F.3d 1057, 1068 (Fed. Cir. 2011) (“Where the offered
`
`secondary consideration actually results from something other than what is both
`
`claimed and novel in the claim, there is no nexus to the merits of the claimed
`
`invention.”).
`
`Further, even if the amended claims are broad enough to encompass isolation
`
`tools with full-bore access, OSES’s alleged commercial success is still irrelevant,
`
`because full-bore access is not commensurate with the scope of the amended
`
`claims. See Therasense, Inc. v. Becton, Dickinson & Co., 593 F.3d 1325, 1336
`
`(Fed. Cir. 2010) (“Because the claims are broad enough to cover devices that either
`
`do or do not solve the ‘short fill’ problem, Abbott’s objective evidence of non-
`
`obviousness fails because it is not commensurate in scope with the claims which
`
`the evidence is offered to support.”).
`
`Moreover, every element of the claimed invention is clearly present in the prior
`
`art. As discussed in the Petitioner Reply and above, all of the elements of the
`
`original claims are found in Dallas ’118 as is the newly claimed packing assembly
`
`that seals against a fixed point in the tubing spool. Also, as discussed above, the
`
`use of a separate setting tool was either required by Dallas ’118 or was well known
`
`in the prior art and clearly would have been obvious to use with the Dallas ’118
`
`tool. Finally, mechanical lockdown mechanisms were well known in the prior as a
`
`more reliable alternative to hydraulic mechanisms and the use of such mechanical
`
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`Inter Partes Review No.: 2014-00216
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`Petitioner Opposition to Motion to Amend
`mechanisms in the Dallas ’118 tool would have been obvious in the 1998-99
`
`timeframe. For this reason as well, OSES commercial success evidence is
`
`irrelevant. See Galderma Labs., L.P. v. Tolmar, Inc., 737 F.3d 731, 740 (Fed. Cir.
`
`2013) (“[I]f the feature that creates the commercial success was known in the prior
`
`art, the success is not pertinent.” quoting Ormco, 463 F.3d at 1312; Tokai Corp. v.
`
`Easton Enters., 632 F.3d 1358, 1369 (Fed. Cir. 2011) (“If commercial success is
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`due to an element in the prior art, no nexus exists.”).
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`Finally, the unclaimed feature of full-bore access was well known in the art as
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`of 1999 as evidenced by Dallas ’118 (Ex. 1003, 000012:9-16) and Herricks (Ex.
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`1004, 1:49-54). See Perkin Decl., ¶¶ 86-88. Thus, even if this feature had been
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`claimed, the result would be no different.
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`VI. CONCLUSION
`For the foregoing reasons, Petitioner respectfully requests that OSES motion to
`
`amend claims 1 and 22 be denied.
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`
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`
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`Dated: December 1, 2014
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`Respectfully submitted,
`
`By:
`
`
`
`/s/ John J. Feldhaus
`John J. Feldhaus
`Reg. No. 28,822
`Counsel for Petitioner
`
`
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`15
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`

`

`Inter Partes Review No.: 2014-00216
`
`
`Petitioner Opposition to Motion to Amend
`CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
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`Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 42.6(e)(4)(i), the undersigned certifies that on
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`December 1, 2014, a complete and entire copy of “Petitioner Opposition to Motion
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`to Amend” was provided via email, as previously agreed, to the representatives of
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`the Patent Owner by serving the correspondence email address of record as
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`follows:
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`Erik Hawes
`ehawes@morganlewis.com
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`Archis (Neil) Ozarkar
`nozarkar@morganlewis.com
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`By:
`
`
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`
`
`
`
`/s/ John J. Feldhaus
`John J. Feldhaus
`Reg. No. 28,822
`Counsel for Petitioner
`
`
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`
`

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