The oil & gas industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by low-carbon hydrogen, carbon capture and storage, and biofuels, and growing importance of technologies such as electrolyzers, auto-thermal reforming and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). In the last three years alone, there have been over 523,000 patents filed and granted in the oil & gas industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Environmental sustainability in oil & gas: bioethanol production GMOs. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over 196,000 patents to analyze innovation intensity for the oil & gas industry, there are 60+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Bioethanol production GMOs is a key innovation area in environmental sustainability
Bioethanol production using genetically modified organisms (GMOs) involves the use of genetically modified feedstock to efficiently and effectively produce bioethanol (or ethanol). Furthermore, the technology aims to optimize ethanol yield, while reducing the environmental footprint of biofuels production.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 80+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established oil & gas companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of bioethanol production GMOs.
Key players in bioethanol production GMOs – a disruptive innovation in the oil & gas industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to bioethanol production GMOs
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Gevo is one of the leading patent filers in the bioethanol production GMOs for the oil & gas industry. Its ethanol production process suits the requirement for low-carbon renewable ethanol. Through its research, Gevo is trying to produce fuel with reduced carbon intensity. Some other key patent filers in the space include DSM, Cargill, and Lesaffre.
In terms of application diversity, Chevron leads the pack, while 22nd Century and Lesaffre stood in the second and third positions, respectively. Chevron has diversified into the biofuels markets through strategic partnerships and investments. In June 2022, it acquired Renewable Energy Group (REG), a biodiesel production company. In September 2021, Chevron and Gevo collaborated to invest in building new facilities for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production.
By means of geographic reach, China National Chemical (ChemChina) held the top position, followed by 22nd Century and Corbion. ChemChina has offerings in the agrichemical as well as petrochemical segments. It is one of the prominent state-owned enterprises in China and has strategic presence as far as Brazil.
One use for bioethanol is to use it for blending with gasoline to meet RFG area requirements. It can also be blended with diesel to reduce the fuel’s carbon intensity.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the oil & gas industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) in Oil and Gas.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
