INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Covered by one or more of the following: U.S. Patent Nos. 4,984,594; 5,076,727; 5,114,497; 5,190,405; 5,221,827; 5,229,583; 5,244,310; 5,271,693; 5,318,116; 5,553,189; 5,656,239; 5,660,500; 5,997,214; 6,102,622; 6,419,423; 6,485,232; 6,543,539; 6,632,047; 6,824,328; 6,854,929; 6,881,009; 6,951,436; 6,962,466; and 7,004,678, and Pending; Australia Patent Nos. 720947 and 774595, and Pending; Austria Patent No. E222147; Belgium Patent Nos. 1011882, 1272290 and 1446239; Brazil Patent No. PI9809922-1, and Pending; Canada Patent No. 2289080, and Pending; China Patent Nos. 98805738.7 and 01809975.0; Czech Republic Patent No. 294883; Denmark Patent Nos. 1011882, 1467826, 1272290 and 1446239, and Pending; EPC Patent Nos. 1011882, 1467826, 1272290 and 1446239, and Pending; France Patent Nos. 1011882, 1467826, 1272290 and 1446239, and Pending; Germany Patent Nos. P69807238.3-08, P6020503803-08, P60110056.5-08 and P60215378.6-08, and Pending; Hungary Patent No. 224761; India Patents Pending; Indonesia Patent No. ID0008181; Ireland Patent No. 1011882; Italy Patent Nos. 1011882, 1467826, and 1446239, and Pending; Japan Patents Pending; Mexico Patent Nos. 216411 and 241679, and Pending; Netherlands Patent Nos. 1011882, 1467826, 1272290 and 1446239, and Pending; New Zealand Patent Nos. 500724 and 522078; PCT Patents Pending; Poland Patent No. 191230; Russia Patent No. 001706; Singapore Patent No. 68767; Slovakia Patent No. 283577; South Korea Patent No. 499762, and Pending; Spain Patent No. 1011882; Sweden Patent No. 98932146.8, 1467826 and 1446239, and Pending; Taiwan Patent No. 192090; United Kingdom Patent Nos. 1011882, 1467826, 1272290 and 1446239, and Pending; and Venezuela Patents Pending.

U.S. Patents

Patent 4,984,594 Vacuum method for removing soil contamination utilizing surface electrical heating, Vinegar, H.J. and Stegemeier, G.L., issued Jan.15, 1991.

Patent 5,076,727 In situ decontamination of spills and landfills by focussed microwave/radio frequency heating and a closed-loop vapor flushing and vacuum recovery system, Johnson, P.C., Otermat, A.L., and Chou, C.C., issued Dec. 31,1991.

Patent 5,114,497 Soil decontamination, Johnson, P.C., Colthart, J.D., Otermat, A.L., Weingaertner, D.A., Chou, C.C., Byers, D.L., Stearns, S.M., Marsden, Jr., A.R., and Deeley, G.M., issued May 19, 1992.

Claims a process and apparatus for the remediation of shallow soil containing organic or semi-volatile inorganic contaminants via applying thermal energy by a heating means, collecting vapors in the sub-surface and separating the undesirable components thereof.

Patent 5,190,405 Vacuum Method for Removing Soil Contaminants Utilizing Thermal Conduction Heating, Vinegar, H.J., Stegemeier, G.L., De Rouffignac, E. P., Chou, C.C., issued March 2, 1993.

Claims: Basic patent on thermal wells. Very broad claims; heater well in soil, contaminants drawn by vacuum into heater well.

Patent 5,221,827 Heater blanket for in-situ soil heating, Marsden, Jr., A.R., Otermat, A.L., Weingaertner, D.A., Johnson, P.C., Dicks, L.W.R., and Wilde, H.B., issued June 22, 1993

Patent 5,229,583 Surface Heating Blanket for Soil Remediation, van Egmond, C.F., Carl, Jr., F.G., Stegemeier, G.L., and Vinegar, H.J., issued July 20, 1993.
Patent 5,244,310 In-Situ Soil Heating Press/Vapor Extraction System, Johnson, P.C., issued Sept. 14, 1993.

Patent 5,271,693 Enhanced deep soil vapor extraction process and apparatus for removing contaminants trapped in or below the water table, Johnson, P.C., Weingaertner, D.A., Dicks, L.W. R., Otermat, A.L., and Marsden, Jr., A.R., issued December 21, 1993.

Patent 5,318,116 Vacuum method for removing soil contaminants utilizing thermal conduction heating, Vinegar, H.J., Stegemeier, G.L., de Rouffignac, E.P., and Chou, C.C., issued June 7, 1994.

Patent 5,553,189 Radiant plate heater for treatment of contaminated surfaces, Stegemeier, G.L., Vinegar, H.J, and Carl, Jr., F.G., issued September 3, 1996.

Patent 5,656,239 Method for Recovering Contaminants from Soil Utilizing Electrical Heating, Stegemeier, G.L., and Vinegar, H.J., initially filed October 27, 1989, issued August 12, 1997.

Claims: Patent finally issued on appeal. Claims current flow in soil, heating of soil by said current flow, and vacuum means for removing contaminant from heated soil. Original date precedes six phase heating patents.

Patent 5,660,500 Enhanced deep soil vapor extraction process and apparatus utilizing sheet metal pilings, Marsden, Jr., A.R., Weingaertner, D.A., Dicks, L.W.R., Otermat, A.L., and Johnson, P.C., issued August 26, 1997.

Patent 5,674,424 Thermal heating blanket in-situ thermal desorption for remediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil, Iben, I.E.T., Edelstein, W.A. Sheldon, R.B. Blaha, S.R., Silverstein, W.B., Scatena, C.R., and Brown, G.R., issued October 7, 1997.

Patent 5,997,214 Remediation Method, de Rouffignac, E.P. and Vinegar, H.J., issued December 7, 1999.

Claims: Bottom-up (i.e., "Hot Floor") method of removing volatile liquid contaminants from a contaminated volume of earth, by applying heat to the underlying non-contaminated layer from at least one wellbore that penetrates that layer, prior to heating the contaminated zone from the wellbore.

Patent 6,102,622 Remediation Method, Vinegar, H.J., and de Rouffignac, E.P., issued August 15, 2000.

Claims: Method of treating DNAPL by applying heat from a horizontal wellbore, and removing the heated contaminants via the wellbore.

Patent 6,419,423 Method for remediating near-surface contaminated soil, Vinegar, H.J., and de Rouffignac, E.P., and Bielamowicz, L.J., issued July 16, 2002.

Claims: Method of forming a cover for a near surface, in situ thermal desorption soil remediation process, comprising placing a plurality of metal sheets on the surface above contaminated soil.

Patent 6,485,232 Low Cost, Self Regulating Heater for Use in an In Situ Thermal Desorption Soil Remediation System, Vinegar, H.J., and Stegemeier, G.L., issued November 26, 2002.

Patent 6,543,539 Perforated Casing Method and System, Vinegar, H.J., and Stegemeier, G.L., issued April 8, 2003.

Patent 6,632,047 Heater Element for Use in an In Situ Thermal Desorption Soil Remediation System, Vinegar, H.J., and Stegemeier, G.L., issued October 14, 2003.

Patent 6,824,328 Vapor Collection and Treatment of Off-Gas from an In Situ Thermal Desorption Soil Remediation, Vinegar, H.J., and Stegemeier, G.L., issued November 30, 2004 - NEW!

Patent 6,854,929 Isolation of Soil with a Low Temperature Barrier Prior to Conductive Thermal Treatment of the Soil, Vinegar, H.J., and Stegemeier, G.L., issued February 15, 2005 - NEW!