Grant M Hocking, Age 753973 Merriweather Woods, Alpharetta, GA 30022

6443227, Sep 3, 2002

Nov 22, 2000

09/721455

Grant Hocking - Alpharetta GA
Samuel L. Wells - Lawrenceville GA

Golder Sierra LLC - Atlanta GA

E21B 4326

1662501, 166298, 166308, 4051294

A method and apparatus for initiating an azimuth controlled vertical hydraulic fracture in unconsolidated and weakly cemented soils and sediments using active resistivity to monitor and control the fracture initiation and propagation. Separate or overlapping treatment walls and containment barriers can be created by controlling and monitoring the propagation of fractures in the subsurface. A fracture fluid is injected into a well bore to initiate and propagate a vertical azimuth controlled fracture. The fracture fluid is energized to conduct electrical current while the fracture propagates through the ground. A series of electrical resistivity monitors measure the electrical conductivity of the fracture fluid in real time against the background conductivity of the formation. Using a series of incremental influence functions, the azimuth of the vertical fracture can be controlled by regulating the injection of fracture fluid based upon the induced voltage of the earth and the conductivity of the fluid in the fracture.

6615653, Sep 9, 2003

Sep 27, 2001

09/965317

Grant Hocking - Alpharetta GA

GeoSierra, LLC - Atlanta GA

F02D 308

7315201, 7315206, 7315251, 73 38, 702 2, 405 36, 405 37, 324347, 324353

A method for determining the liquefaction tendency of a water saturated soil is provided in which a driven or self boring probe with a plurality of expanding and contracting bladders imposes a cyclic shear stress reversal on a body of soil in situ, and from the measurement of pore water pressure, the liquefaction potential of the soil can be quantified. A pore water pressure increase during cyclic shear stress reversals indicates a contractive soil which has the potential to liquefy. The method can also quantify the potential of electro-osmosis in preventing soil liquefaction, by energizing a group of at least three electrodes by a d-c power source during the potential onset of liquefaction, and measure the reduction in pore water pressure during subsequent repeated shear stress reversals imposed on the soil by the device.

6792720, Sep 21, 2004

Sep 5, 2002

10/236884

Grant Hocking - Alpharetta GA

GeoSierra LLC - Atlanta GA

E02D 2734

52 1, 521671, 527413, 52DIG 12, 5274111, 405 37, 4053024, 4053025, 702 15

A method and system of isolating a structure and soil mass from earthquake induced vibration by inducing soil liquefaction beneath a structure during an earthquake event, by monitoring local seismic precursor events, such as early arrival ground motion using an accelerometer, predicting the onset of a major earthquake tremor and energizing conductors in the ground by a dc power source for moving the ground water by electro-osmosis towards a suitable isolation layer, whereby raising the pore water pressure in the isolation layer and thus preferentially inducing localized soil liquefaction of the particular isolation layer during the earthquake event and thus isolating the structure and soil above the particular soil horizon from the upward propagating shear wave ground motions arising from the earthquake event.

6991037, Jan 31, 2006

Dec 30, 2003

10/749131

Grant Hocking - Alpharetta GA, US

GeoSierra LLC - Norcross GA

E21B 43/26

1663081, 1662421

A method and apparatus for initiating multiple azimuth controlled vertical hydraulic fractures in unconsolidated and weakly cemented sediments from a single bore hole to control the fracture initiation and propagation of hydraulic fractures at differing azimuths, enabling greater yield and recovery of petroleum fluids from the formation. An injection casing with multiple fracture initiation sections is inserted and grouted into a bore hole. A fracture fluid carrying a proppant is injected into the injection casing and opens fracture initiation sections to dilate the formation in a direction orthogonal to the first fracture azimuth plane. Following completion of the first fracture injection, the fracture fluid is injected into the injection casing and opens a set of second and subsequent fracture initiation sections dilating the formation and initiating and propagating a second and subsequent vertical hydraulic fractures at different azimuths to the first and subsequent earlier installed fractures.

7331143, Feb 19, 2008

Aug 25, 2004

10/925724

Grant Hocking - Alpharetta GA, US

E02D 3/11
E02D 27/34
E04H 9/02

52 1, 521671, 521691, 5274111, 527413, 52DIG 12, 405 37, 4053024, 4053025, 702 15

A structure is isolated from a seismic event by inducing soil liquefaction in an isolation layer beneath the structure and soil foundation zone, such as by activating an electro-osmosis gradient toward the isolation layer, during the seismic event, based on detection of movements associated with the seismic event.

7404441, Jul 29, 2008

Mar 12, 2007

11/685019

Grant Hocking - Alpharetta GA, US

Geosierra, LLC - Alpharetta GA

E21B 43/26

1663081, 1663051

A method and apparatus for initiating and propagating a vertical hydraulic fracture in unconsolidated and weakly cemented sediments from a single bore hole to control the fracture initiation plane and propagation of the hydraulic fracture, enabling greater yield and recovery of petroleum fluids from the formation. An injection casing with multiple fracture initiation sections is inserted and grouted into a bore hole. A fracture fluid carrying a proppant is injected into the injection casing and opens the fracture initiation sections to dilate the formation in a direction orthogonal to the required fracture azimuth plane. Propagation of the fracture is controlled by limiting the fracture fluid injection rate during fracture initiation and propagation and maintaining a minimum fracture fluid viscosity. The injection casing initiation section remains open after fracturing providing direct hydraulic connection between the production well bore, the permeable proppant filled fracture and the formation.

7520325, Apr 21, 2009

Jan 23, 2007

11/626175

Grant Hocking - Alpharetta GA, US

GeoSierra LLC - Alpharetta GA

E21B 43/26

166259, 166260, 166261, 166 57, 1662802

The present invention is a method and apparatus for the enhanced recovery of petroleum fluids from the subsurface by in situ combustion of the hydrocarbon deposit, from injection of an oxygen rich gas and drawing off a flue gas to control the rate and propagation of the combustion front to be predominantly horizontal and propagating vertically downwards guided by the vertical highly permeable hydraulic fractures. Multiple propped vertical hydraulic fractures are constructed from the well bore into the oil sand formation and filled with a highly permeable proppant containing hydrodesulfurization and thermal cracking catalysts. The oxygen rich gas is injected via the well bore into the top of the propped fractures, the in situ hydrocarbons are ignited by a downhole burner, and the generated flue gas extracted from the bottom of the propped fractures through the well bore and mobile oil gravity drains through the propped fractures to the bottom of the well bore and pumped to the surface. The combustion front is predominantly horizontal, providing good vertical and lateral sweep, due to the flue gas exhaust control provided by the highly permeable propped fractures.

7591306, Sep 22, 2009

Jan 23, 2007

11/626112

Grant Hocking - Alpharetta GA, US

Geosierra LLC - Alpharetta GA

E21B 43/24
E21B 43/26
E21B 49/00

1662501, 166303, 166 57, 166263, 1663081

The present invention involves a method and apparatus for enhanced recovery of petroleum fluids from the subsurface by injection of a steam and hydrocarbon vaporized solvent in contact with the oil sand formation and the heavy oil and bitumen in situ. Multiple propped hydraulic fractures are constructed from the well bore into the oil sand formation and filled with a highly permeable proppant. Steam, a hydrocarbon solvent, and a non-condensing diluent gas are injected into the well bore and the propped fractures. The injected gas flows upwards and outwards in the propped fractures contacting the oil sands and in situ bitumen on the vertical faces of the propped fractures. The steam condenses on the cool bitumen and thus heats the bitumen by conduction, while the hydrocarbon solvent vapors diffuse into the bitumen from the vertical faces of the propped fractures. The bitumen softens and flows by gravity to the well bore, exposing fresh surface of bitumen for the process to progressively soften and mobilize the bitumen in a predominantly circumferential, i. e. orthogonal to the propped fracture, diffusion direction at a nearly uniform rate into the oil sand deposit.