Energy News Monitoring

The present review includes statistical information on the major applicants who registered patent applications in patent offices around the world in 2017 in the field of synthetic fuel production, including synthesis gas; gas, coal and biomass to liquid fuels; methanol and its derivatives; as well as other similar energy products. 1112 inventions from 29 patent offices, prepared by 399 applicants from 26 countries of the world were selected for the present review.

The most productive applicant in 2017 in the field under consideration was Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V. from the Netherlands, who registered 66 patent applications. The top three also included another company from the Netherlands – Sabic Global Technologies B.V, and Chinese Wuhan Kaidi Engineering Technology Research General Institute Co., Ltd. In addition to the representatives of the Netherlands and China, the list of top 10 applicants also included companies and organizations from Japan, Denmark and France.

Top 10 applicants by the number of patent applications filed in 2017

Source: Advanced Energy Technologies

Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V. applied for patents in 12 foreign patent offices, Danish Haldor Topsoe A/S – in 10, while French Air Liquide –in 9. Japanese JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, INPEX Corporation, Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd and Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) filed their cooperative applications in the USA, China, Brazil, Malaysia and in the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO). China Petroleum & Chemical Company patented exclusively in China.

Distribution of patent applications by patent offices around the world among the top 10 applicants

Source: Advanced Energy Technologies

ARIPO-African Regional Intellectual Property Organization; CIPO (CA)-Canadian Intellectual Property Office; CNIPA(CN)-National Intellectual Property Administration; DPMA(DE)-German Patent and Trade Mark Office; EAPO-Eurasian Patent Organization; EPO-European Patent Organization; IMPI (MX)-Mexican Institute of Industrial Property; INAPI (CL)-National Institute of Industrial Property; INPI (BR)-National Institute of Industrial Property (Brazil); INPI (FR)-National Institute of Industrial Property (France); IP Australia (AU)-IP Australia; IPOS (SG)-Intellectual Property Office of Singapore; Indecopi (PE)-National Institute for the Defense of Competition of Peru; JPO (JP)-Industrial Property Office (Japan); KIPO (KR)-Korean Intellectual Property Office; MyIPO (MY)-Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia; Rospatent(RU)-Federal Service for Intellectual Property (Russia); USPTO (US)-United States Patent and Trademark Office; WIPO-World Intellectual Property Organization

AAll major variants of technical solutions were represented in the inventions of all of the applicants from the top 10 list by the number of patent applications, including devices, methods and compositions, as well as their combinations.

In the vast majority of cases all of the companies proposed different solutions for the Low efficiency of main processes problem in their applications. Moreover, all of the top 10 applicants referred to the problem of High OPEX/Maintenance. A substantial share of inventions by Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V. was given to the solutions for problems related to High OPEX/Repair and replacement, for Wuhan Kaidi Engineering Technology Research General Institute Co. And Haldor Topsoe A/S these were the problems of High CAPEX/Development. For Sabic Global Technologies B.V., China Petroleum & Chemical Company, and Wuhan Kaidi Engineering Technology Research General Institute Co. It was also common to refer to the problem of Low efficiency due to energy losses.

When considering the list of technology processes of synthetic fuel production, each of the applicants had their own preferences in their inventions. For the group of Japanese companies JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, INPEX Corporation, Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd. and Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC), as well as for Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V., such preferences were related to the processes of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and Refining of products. Air Liquide and Haldor Topsoe A/S, to a substantial degree, were focused on Primary technologies of syngas production, with the latter paying more attention to the technologies of methanol synthesis than the others. Chinese Wuhan Kaidi Engineering Technology Research General Institute Co., Ltd. and China Petroleum & Chemical Company prevailed in the field of Fischer-Tropsch catalysts.

Technological elements of the top 10 applicants

Source: Advanced Energy Technologies

FP-Feedstock preparation; FTC-Fischer-Tropsch catalysts; FTS-Fischer-Tropsch synthesis; MFT-Micro channel Fischer-Tropsch; ML-Methanol-to-liquids; MS-Methanol synthesis; OS-Other methods of syngas production; OT-Other technologies; PSG-Syngas production in general; PTS-Primary technologies of syngas production; SE-Syngas to electricity; SFT-Refining of products; SGM-Micro channel syngas production; SMT-Syngas to methane; TS-Treatment of syngas

In a small list of the most prominent patent applications, the following should be outlined:

マイクロチャネルプロセス技術を使用するプロセスおよび装置(Process And Device Using Micro Channel Process Technology)/JP2017048397A and MICROCHANNEL PROCESSOR/US20170014795A1by Velocys, Inc., which refer to advanced microchannel technologies;
CATALYST MANUFACTURING METHOD/US20170189897A1 and 催化剂前体，其制备方法和用途 (Catalyst precursor, method of preparation and use thereof)/CN107427817A, by JOHNSON MATTHEY PLC, which are dedicated to the production of novel catalysts.

As well as the applications of various companies that address the aforementioned technological processes, including:

Systems and methods for producing dimethyl ether from natural gas /CA3019939A1 –Exxonmobil Res &Eng Co;
ENTRAINED-FLOW GASIFIER AND GASIFICATION METHOD USING THE SAME FOR SYNTHESIZING SYNGAS FROM BIOMASS FUEL / US20170051216A1 – Wuhan Kaidi Engineering Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd.;
REFORMING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING CHEMICAL PRODUCTS /US20170096333A1 – MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.;
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DUAL FLUIDIZED BED GASIFICATION / US20170066652A1 – RES USA, LLC;
Method for producing hydrocarbon oil and system for producing hydrocarbon oil / US20170009153A1 – Japan Oil, Gas & Metals National Corporation, Inpex Corporation, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co. Ltd., Cosmo Oil Co. Ltd., Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Engineering Co. Ltd.;
PROCESS FOR REFORMING HYDROCARBONS /US20170002281A1 –Haldor Topsoe A/S.

More detailed information on the methodology as well as on the results of patent researches in the most important fields of contemporary energy industry can be found at Advanced Energy Technologies.