Case 6:22-cv-01316 Document 1-3 Filed 12/30/22 Page 1 of 10
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`Exhibit B
`6:22-cv-1316
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`Case 6:22-cv-01316 Document 1-3 Filed 12/30/22 Page 2 of 10
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`NCS’s U.S. Patent No. 10,465,445 (“the ’445 Patent”) and the AirGlideTM Flotation Sub (“AirGlide”)
`CLAIMS OF THE ’445 PATENT
`AIRGLIDETM FLOTATION SUB1
`28.0 A float tool configured for use
`The Court has found this preamble is not limiting. If it is found to be limiting, the
`in positioning a casing string
`preamble is met by the AirGlide as follows:
`in a wellbore containing a
`
`well fluid, the casing string
`Entech’s U.S. customer, Halliburton, markets the following AirGlide for use in a
`having an internal diameter
`casing string placed in a wellbore with fluid:
`that defines a fluid
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`passageway between an upper
`portion of the casing string
`and a lower portion of the
`casing string, the float tool
`comprising:
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`1 All references to the AirGlideTM Flotation Sub are found at:
`https://cdn.brandfolder.io/BQOGXPBX/at/7b244wpsn77xtzktj85k7m/2022-MKTG-CMT-13672_AirGlide_Sales_Data_Sheet.pdf.
`Annotations have been added to the images.
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`Case 6:22-cv-01316 Document 1-3 Filed 12/30/22 Page 3 of 10
`Case 6:22-cv-01316 Document 1-3 Filed 12/30/22 Page 3 of 10
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`AirGlide™ Floatation Sub
`OVERCOME EXCESSIVE DRAG FORCES
`TO RUN CASING TO DEPTH
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`FEATURES
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`» Innovative glass disk disintegrates
`into fine, sandike particles
`upon activation
`» Custom activation pressures
`can be tailored to wellbore depth
`and pressures
`BENEFITS
`» Eliminates the need for
`a debris barrier
`» Zero risk of plugoff or damage
`to equipment
`» No debris left after activation
`for fullbore access
`» Capable of handling differential
`pressures up to 12,500 psi
`OVERVIEW
`
`Running casing to depth in highly
`deviated or horizontal, extended reach
`wellbores continues to pose a challenge
`to operators looking to maximize
`wellbore production. The excessive
`drag force between the casing and
`the formation in these wells is difficult
`to overcome. Forlarger casing, the
`drag forces often exceed the available
`hook weight of the casing and for
`smaller casing they exceed the buckling
`capacity. In both cases, the result is
`an inability to run casing to the desired
`setting depth.
`To extend the reach in long lateral
`wells and reduce the casing/formation
`drag, operators utilize a floatation
`sub to float the casing through the
`horizontal section. Traditional floatation
`
`subs require a debris barrier to catch
`the ceramic shards left after the tool
`tuptures and prevent plugoff or damage
`to float equipment that can lead to
`nenproductive time (NPT).
`The AirGlide™ floatation sub significantly
`lowers drag and frictional forces to allow
`casing to get to bottom faster. Because
`the AirGlide floatation sub utilizes an
`innovative glass disk rather than ceramic
`parts, there is zero risk of plugoff or
`damage to float equipment and the
`need for a debris catcheris eliminated.
`
`IMPROVE CASING RUNNING
`CAPABILITIES
`
`The AirGlide floatation sub operates
`when placed in the heel of the wellbore.
`An innovative glass disk acts a5 a
`barrier to fluids in the well to trap an
`atmospheric chamber in the horizontal
`section of the casing from the shoe
`track to the casing floatation sub. This
`trapped air creates a buoyant chamber
`that can significantly reduce the casing
`weight and allows the casing string
`to lift away from the wellbore, thus
`reducing drag between the casing
`and the formation to provide improved
`casing running capabilities.
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`FULLBORE ACCESS WITH
`ZERO DEBRIS
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`Once targeted depth is reached,
`applied pressure activates the AirGlide
`floatation sub. The glass disk handles
`differential pressures up to 12,500 psi
`to withstand shocks during handling and
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`Case 6:22-cv-01316 Document 1-3 Filed 12/30/22 Page 4 of 10
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`The casing string has an internal diameter for passing fluid between an upper portion of
`the casing string and a lower portion of the casing string.
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`See element 28.0. The AirGlide (i.e. a “rupture disc assembly”) is a tubular member
`that has an upper end (below green arrow) and a lower end (below red arrow). The
`upper and lower ends of the AirGlide can be connected in-line with the casing string:
`
`
`28.1
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`a rupture disc assembly
`comprising (i) a tubular
`member having an upper end
`and a lower end, the upper
`and lower ends configured for
`connection in-line with the
`casing string and
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`28.2
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`(ii) a rupture disc having a
`rupture burst pressure and in
`sealing engagement with a
`region of the tubular member
`within the upper and lower
`ends
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`As shown below, the AirGlide (i.e. “rupture disc assembly”) includes a glass barrier
`(i.e., a “rupture disc,” below blue arrow).
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`Case 6:22-cv-01316 Document 1-3 Filed 12/30/22 Page 5 of 10
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`The glass barrier has a rupture burst pressure. The glass barrier, based on shape and
`material, is designed to have a certain rupture burst pressure, which is the differential
`hydraulic pressure acting across the surface of the disc that would rupture the disc.
`Indeed, any material and geometry used to make the glass barrier must have a rupture
`burst pressure by basic physics.
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`Case 6:22-cv-01316 Document 1-3 Filed 12/30/22 Page 6 of 10
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`Referring to the above image, during run in of the AirGlide, the glass barrier is fixed
`axially and laterally in a region of the tubular member (red box) located within the
`upper and lower ends of the tubular member by a shear ring (orange arrow) and the
`inner surface of an upper tubular portion (pink arrow). The upper tubular portion has a
`groove that holds an O-ring seal (black arrow), such that there is a substantially fluid-
`tight seal between the glass barrier and the inner surface of the upper tubular portion.
`As such, the glass barrier has a substantially fluid-tight seal in a region within the
`upper and lower ends of the tubular member.
`The glass barrier, based on its shape, size, material, and positioning in the AirGlide, is
`configured to move, before rupturing, relative to the region in the downhole direction.
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`5
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`28.3 wherein the rupture disc is
`configured to disengage from
`sealing engagement when
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`Case 6:22-cv-01316 Document 1-3 Filed 12/30/22 Page 7 of 10
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`exposed to a pressure greater
`than a hydraulic pressure in
`the casing string after the
`casing string has been
`positioned in the wellbore
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`To disengage the disc, hydraulic pressure acting on the surface of the disc is steadily
`increased to an activation pressure (i.e. a disengaging pressure):
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`Case 6:22-cv-01316 Document 1-3 Filed 12/30/22 Page 8 of 10
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`At the activation pressure, the shear ring (below orange arrow) shears and the glass
`barrier (below purple arrow) moves relative to the region in the downhole direction
`(downwards in the image). The disc ruptures when it impacts a surface in the AirGlide
`(show in image to the left):
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`Case 6:22-cv-01316 Document 1-3 Filed 12/30/22 Page 9 of 10
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`In the region of the tubular member (identified in element 28.2 and again below by red
`box), the rupture disc is directly secured to and has a substantially-fluid-tight seal to a
`cylindrical surface (green line). The cylindrical surface is wider than and parallel to the
`inner surface of the casing string, as shown in the below comparison between the
`cylindrical surface and the inner surface of the casing string (blue line):
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`28.4
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`and the region of the tubular
`member where the rupture
`disc is attached has a larger
`internal diameter than the
`internal diameter of the casing
`string and is parallel to the
`internal diameter of the casing
`string.
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`Case 6:22-cv-01316 Document 1-3 Filed 12/30/22 Page 10 of 10
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`See claim elements 28.2-28.3. The activation pressure (i.e. the hydraulic force acting
`on the disk) that can cause the glass barrier to move relative to the region is less than
`the glass barrier’s rupture burst pressure.
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`29.
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`The float tool recited in claim
`28 wherein the rupture disc is
`further configured to rupture
`when exposed to a rupturing
`force greater than the rupture
`burst pressure and the
`pressure greater than the
`hydraulic pressure is less than
`the rupture burst pressure.
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