SYNTHETIC FUELS. Latest published applications 2017-2019. Microchannel GTL technologies
Summary
Microchannel technologies for the production of synthetic fuel are viewed primarily as the most promising options for the useful utilization of associated petroleum gas in oilfields. In contrast to large-capacity GTL technologies, which are widely used in practice, for example, in South Africa, Qatar and other countries, microchannel installations involve the assembly of metal sheets interleaved with channels for the main reactions and cooling. Microchannel reactors are used to produce both synthesis gas and liquid hydrocarbons via the Fischer-Tropsch reaction. The main advantages of microchannel reactors are low-tonnage equipment, modularity (modular micro-GTL units), and the ability to use them directly in the fields. The disadvantages include local use of the products, higher costs and energy costs, and difficulties in implementing the technology. At present, the mass production of microchannel units has not been established, and examples of the practical application of this technology are limited to demonstration projects. Therefore, most of the associated petroleum gas is still flared directly in the fields or re-injected into the reservoir. The proposed bulletin provides a list of recent patent applications related to microchannel technologies, as well as a brief statistical analysis of them.
The present bulletin reviews patent applications registered by patent offices around the globe in 2017-2019 in the field related to microchannel gas-to-liquids technologies. General research methodology can be found on the Advanced Energy Technologies website. 152 patent documents from 15 patent offices around the world are represented in the bulletin. In total, 62 applicants from 15 countries and 166 subgroups of the International Patent Classification are mentioned.
Key Highlights
The bulletin provides general statistical figures, including the overall distribution of patent documents by years, by patent offices and by applicant countries, applicant-related data (residents and non-residents), data on the most frequently mentioned International Patent Classification divisions (sections, classes, subclasses, groups, and subgroups). The most popular patent offices among the applicants were: CNIPA (CN), USPTO (US), WIPO, JPO (JP), EPO, INPI (BR).
Based on the analysis of each of the patent applications, internal characteristics of unified indicators (technical problems, types of inventive solutions, belonging to one or other technological segment) were found, which allowed specific features for each of the indicators for the entire array of documents to be defined, for instance, to define the leading problems or technical solution types that were disclosed by the inventors the most. Document lists are provided for the ten most popular groups of patent documents with identical unified indicators, including their ID numbers and applicant names.
A list of the top 10 applicants by the number of applications includes Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V. (NL), Velocys Inc (US), BP PLC (GB), Greyrock Energy Inc. (US), China Petroleum & Chemical Company (CN), Velocys Technologies Limited (GB), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) (DE), Shell Oil Company (US), Fluor Technologies Corporation (US), Sasol Technology (Pty) Ltd (ZA). Data representing the share in the established intellectual property market, distribution of applications by problems, IPC sections, patent offices and technology indicators is provided in the form of tables and diagrams for them.
The top prominent documents section includes three lists of the top 10 patent applications having the highest bibliographical rating, the largest number of IPC sections, and those not being a part of patent family.
The conclusive part of the bulletin represents the lists of all of the documents reviewed, arranged by the top 10 groups of patent documents with identical unified indicators and by patent offices with the indication of the ID numbers of the registered patent applications.
Who needs this bulletin?
The data provided in the proposed bulletin is a timely reflection of the transformations that take place in the intellectual property sector of the industrial direction concerned. A thoroughly edited selection of patent documents can become a good complement to your library of available technical solutions. The bulletin is targeted at inventors, engineers, researchers, managers and business administrators involved in the development of synthetic fuel production technologies.
