Patents by Inventor Don P. Griffin

Don P. Griffin has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9664023
    Abstract: One or more specific embodiments herein includes a method for hydraulically re-fracturing a shale formation comprising injecting oxidizer through a horizontal wellbore into a fracture in the shale formation comprising pores containing hydrocarbon gas or liquid, and recovering some of the hydrocarbon gas or liquid from the shale formation. Some of the injected oxidizer combusts and increases the temperature of a portion of the shale formation and of the hydrocarbon gas or liquid contained in some of the pores in the shale formation, at least some of the hydrocarbon liquid is heated and turns to hydrocarbon gas, the pressure of some of the hydrocarbon gas increases to a point sufficient to cause formation of new fractures, and some of the hydrocarbon gas passes from the pores through some of the new fractures and can be thereafter recovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Inventor: Don P. Griffin
  • Patent number: 9556719
    Abstract: One or more specific embodiments herein includes a method for recovering hydrocarbon gas from a shale formation comprising injecting oxidizer through a horizontal wellbore into a fracture in the shale formation comprising pores containing hydrocarbon gas, and recovering some of the hydrocarbon gas from the shale formation. Some of the injected oxidizer combusts and increases the temperature of a portion of the shale formation and of the hydrocarbon gas contained in some of the pores in the shale formation, the pressure of some of the hydrocarbon gas increases to a point sufficient to cause formation of new fractures, and some of the hydrocarbon gas passes from the pores through some of the new fractures and is recovered. Preferably, one or more specific embodiments further comprises injecting hydraulic fracturing fluid into the first fracture after the one or more second fractures is formed, sometimes referred to as re-fracing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Inventor: Don P. Griffin