The proposed review analyses the inventive activity of the major participants who registered their patent applications in 2018 in the field related to the production of synthetic fuel (synthesis gas, liquid fuel from synthesis gas, methanol and its derivatives, direct coal liquefaction, etc.). In total, 723 patent applications accepted for detailed analysis by 29 patent offices around the world and prepared by 252 applicants from 25 countries were collected for revision.
From the top 10 applicants the most intense activity in 2018 was shown by French group Air Liquide (L'air Liquide), which in total registered 53 patent applications, and Shell group (Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V. from the Netherlands, and Shell Oil Company from the US), which filed 54 documents in total. In the current year no Japanese companies or organisations are present in the top 10 applicants list, although in the previous year this country was represented more than any other – by 4 entities.
Top 10 applicants by the number of patent applications filed in 2018
| Status | Country | Name | Average, Rate | Total, 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company | CN | China Petroleum & Chemical Company | 12.7 | 37 |
| Organization | FR | L'air Liquide, Société Anonyme Pour L'etude Et L'exploitation Des Procédés Georges Claude | 9.5 | 34 |
| Company | NL | Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V. | 11.6 | 32 |
| Organization | CN | Sinopec SRIPT Shanghai Research Institute of Petrochemical Technology | 12.4 | 26 |
| Company | DK | Haldor Topsoe A/S | 13.2 | 24 |
| Company | GB | BP PLC | 10.5 | 22 |
| Company | US | Shell Oil Company | 12.9 | 22 |
| Organization | CN | Wuhan Kaidi Engineering Technology Research General Institute Co., Ltd. | 14.1 | 20 |
| Company | FR | Air Liquide | 12.6 | 19 |
| Company | FR | Engie | 10.4 | 16 |
Source: Advanced Energy Technologies
Air Liquide group filed patent applications in 14 foreign countries, which is more than the others, while Shell filed in 10. No patent applications filed in foreign countries are found for Chinese entities, China Petroleum & Chemical Company and Sinopec SRIPT (Shanghai Research Institute of Petrochemical Technology).
Distribution of patent applications by patent offices around the world among the top 10 applicants
Source: Advanced Energy Technologies
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; 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; PRH(FI) - Finnish Patent and Registration Office; PRV (SE) - Swedish Patent and Registration Office; Rospatent (RU) - Federal Service for Intellectual Property (Russia); USPTO (US) - United States Patent and Trademark Office; WIPO - World Intellectual Property Organization
All of the representatives in the top 10 applicants list predominantly patented methods of implementing technological processes. BP PLC, China Petroleum & Chemical Company and Sinopec SRIPT (Shanghai Research Institute of Petrochemical Technology) patented various compositions, more than the others.
As usual, the low efficiency of main processes was the most popular problem at which the technical proposals of the applicants disclosed in their patent applications were aimed. Both Air Liquide and Shell groups in the majority of their patent documents also addressed the problems "High OPEX / Repair and replacement" and "Low efficiency due to energy losses". About 40% of BP PLC applications disclose solutions aimed at reducing High OPEX / Maintenance. Haldor Topsoe A/S demonstrated major interest in resolving the "High CAPEX / Development" problem.
Each of the top 10 applicants had pretty individual technological preferences. Thus, Air Liquide group was mainly focused on the Primary technologies of syngas production. Another applicant from France – Engie – dedicated all of its inventions to the Syngas to methane technology. Shell group, as in previous years, was primarily interested in the process of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. BP PLC, China Petroleum & Chemical Company and Sinopec SRIPT (Shanghai Research Institute of Petrochemical Technology) concentrated on the development and improvement of catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch processes. Almost 60% of applications by Haldor Topsoe A/S were dedicated to methanol synthesis.
Technological elements of the top 10 applicants
Source: Advanced Energy Technologies
FTC - Fischer-Tropsch catalysts; FTS - Fischer-Tropsch synthesis; MFT - Microchannel Fischer-Tropsch; MS - Methanol synthesis; OS - Other methods of syngas production; OT - Other technologies; PSG - Syngas production in general; PTS - Primary technologies of syngas production; SFT - Refining of products; SGM - Microchannel syngas production; SMT - Syngas to methane; TS - Treatment of syngas
It is difficult to highlight the most promising patent applications on a reasonable basis in this brief review; nevertheless we will take the liberty of providing some of the documents having the highest bibliography rating:
- patent applications of company WUHAN KAIDI ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE CO. LTD:
METHOD AND DEVICE FOR FISCHER-TROPSCH SYNTHESIS / US20180094196A1, Method and apparatus for purifying and cooling biomass syngas/US20180105759A1; CHLORALKALI METHOD AND FISCHER-TROPSCH SYNTHESIS INTEGRATED UTILIZATION ADJUSTMENT PROCESS AND EQUIPMENT THERE FOR/EP3309238A1; Ultra High Pressure Cooling And Purification Process And Apparatus For Oil Production Biomass Syngas/AU2016283230A1;
- patent applications of TOPSOE HALDOR AS and MODARRESI HASSAN:
NOVEL PROCESS FOR METHANOL PRODUCTION FROM LOW QUALITY SYNTHESIS GAS/US20180237366A1; 用于从低质量合成气生产甲醇的新方法 (A NOVEL PROCESS FOR METHANOL PRODUCTION FROM LOW QUALITY SYNTHESIS GAS) / CN107922297A;
- patent applications of companies CHINA PETROLEUM & CHEMICAL and SHANGHAI RESINST PETROCHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY SINOPEC:
复合催化剂及其制备方法 (Composite catalyst and preparation method thereof) / CN107537487A; 镍基费托催化剂及其使用方法 (Nickel-based Fischer-Tropsch catalyst and application method) / CN107537500A;
- patent applications of companies Chiyoda Corp, Japan Oil Gas and Metals Nat Corporation:
Synthesis gas manufacturing method and synthesis gas manufacturing apparatus / US20180093886A1;
- patent applications of company Exxonmobil Res & Eng Co:
基于在镧稳定的θ-氧化铝上的铑的耐热烃重整催化剂 (Heat-resistant hydrocarbon reforming catalyst based on rhodium on alanthanum-stabilised theta-alumina) / CN108430621A.
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.
