The oil & gas industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by carbon emission concerns, energy transition, and energy security aspects, and growing importance of technologies such as carbon capture, low-carbon hydrogen production, and energy storage. 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 Hydrogen in oil & gas: pressure swing adsorption. 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.
Pressure swing adsorption is a key innovation area in hydrogen
Pressure swing adsorption is a widely used gas separation technology that utilizes the ability of certain solid adsorbent materials to selectively adsorb or separate one or more gases from a gas mixture under pressure and then release them under reduced pressure. The technique is used to purify hydrogen gas stream by removal of unwanted gases, such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide, during hydrogen 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 220+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established oil & gas companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of pressure swing adsorption.
Key players in pressure swing adsorption – 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 pressure swing adsorption
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Exxon Mobil is one of the leading patent filers in the pressure swing adsorption technique for hydrogen production. The US-based oil major has the most active blue hydrogen capacity among global integrated oil companies. It has developed its proprietary carbon capture technologies, which employ techniques such as pressure swing adsorption for the purpose of hydrogen production. Some other key patent filers in the space include Linde, Air Liquide, and Shell.
In terms of application diversity, ENEOS (formerly Nippon Oil) leads the pack, while Ecoloop and FuelCell Energy stood in the second and third positions, respectively. ENEOS Corporation has several upcoming low-carbon hydrogen plants in Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia.
By means of geographic reach, Huntsman held the top position, followed by Omya and Ecoloop. Huntsman is a US-based company that manufactures key chemicals for industries, such as energy, aerospace, and construction.
Pressure swing adsorption is a key filtering technique used in hydrogen production mainly by removal of carbon dioxide. Advancements in the technology will help in wider adoption of low-carbon technologies and drive down equipment and material costs in hydrogen production in the long run.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the oil & gas industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Hydrogen 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.
