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“If we had settled, there would have been a settlement agreement outside of court, that’s typically the mechanism. There was no settlement,” she said. “They (Essential) say the judgment doesn’t appear to be based on a review of the merits but there were reasons why Canuck didn’t want the merits to be reviewed.”

She said she can’t reveal how many patent lawsuits Packers is currently involved in because they are at various stages of development and some haven’t been disclosed publicly.

In an interview Monday, Packers president and CEO Dan Themig said the court decision proves that the patent is valid, adding Packers spent tens of millions of dollars to develop and perfect its technology and will continue to enforce its ownership rights.

The advent of multi-stage fracturing of horizontal wells is credited with reopening oil and gas reservoirs in tight or shale formations that could not otherwise have been developed. It helped reverse a long-term decline in U.S. oil production beginning in 2012, resulting in lower current and projected imports of oil from Canada and other nations just as they ramp up their shale output.

Ball drop technology is used in multi-stage fracking. It involves launching a ceramic ball the size of an orange with fluid into a well. When the ball reaches its target, it activates a port and opens a sleeve. Sand is pumped down at high pressure to fracture the rock. When the fracturing is completed, another ball is launched to fracture the next stage.

Packers’ lawsuit against Essential targets its Tryton MSFS ball and seat system which it began using in 2009. Essential said its other products and services are not affected.

dhealing@calgaryherald.com

Twitter.com/HealingSlowly