The oil & gas industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by the need to improve operational efficiencies, safety, and reduce costs, and the growing importance of technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and Internet of Things (IoT). 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 Innovation in oil & gas: gas pipeline network monitoring. Buy the report here.
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However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilizing and reaching maturity.
Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.
60+ innovations will shape the oil & gas industry
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the oil & gas industry using innovation intensity models built on over 196,000 patents, there are 60+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, high-pressure gas vessels, boil-off gas treatment, and oil recovery CWI are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Green hydrogen synthesis, hydrocarbon lubricants, and oil well surveillance are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are cryogenic gas separation and olefin metathesis catalysts, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for the oil & gas industry
Gas pipeline network monitoring is a key innovation area in oil & gas
Gas pipeline network monitoring refers to the process of monitoring and managing the various components of a gas pipeline network to ensure safe and efficient operation. This includes monitoring gas storage tanks, pipelines, and equipment, as well as tracking gas consumption and implementing appropriate safety measures.
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 90+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established oil & gas companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of gas pipeline network monitoring.
Key players in gas pipeline network monitoring – 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 gas pipeline network monitoring
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2022) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Air Products and Chemicals | 83 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Air Liquide | 80 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Mueller Water Products | 53 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Linde | 52 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Petrochemical | 50 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Toyota Motor | 48 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Honda Motor | 33 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hyundai Motor | 31 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kia | 28 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kawasaki Heavy Industries | 25 | Unlock Company Profile |
| SiGNa Chemistry | 22 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kobe Steel | 22 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ITM Power | 18 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hexagon Composites | 18 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ConocoPhillips | 16 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Brillouin Energy | 15 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Samsung Heavy Industries | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Energy Investment | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Mcalister Technologies | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Chiyoda | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| KITZ | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Berkshire Hathaway | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Komatsu | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Phillips 66 | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China State Shipbuilding | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Snecma | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Equinor | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Exxon Mobil | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Chart Industries | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Fortescue Metals Group | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Korea Gas | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Arkema | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| EnBW Energie Baden-Wurttemberg | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Southern Power Grid | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| H2 Clipper | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| TATSUNO | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| REHAU Automotive | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Alliander | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China General Nuclear Power | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Petroleum Engineering | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China National Offshore Oil | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China National Petroleum | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES) | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Baker Hughes | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Panasonic | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Zhejiang Energy Group | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| State Grid Corporation of China | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Changs Ascending Enterprise | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Chery & Wanda Guizhou Bus | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hyperloop Transportation Technologies | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Air Products and Chemicals is one of the leading patent filers in gas pipeline network monitoring. Some other key patent filers in the space include Linde and Mueller Water Products. Some of the patents filed in this space are meant to help developing technologies such as acoustic-based leak detection systems to monitor leaks within a gas pipeline network, monitor equipment performance, and detect other operational issues in real-time.
In terms of application diversity, Arkema leads the pack, while Hexagon Composites and Kobe Steel stood in the second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographical reach, Kobe Steel held the top position, followed by SiGNa Chemistry and ITM Power.
The innovations in gas pipeline network monitoring are expected to play a significant role in ensuring monitoring and control of leaks in the gas pipeline infrastructure in real-time. They will also help to enhance safety and reduce operational costs.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the oil & gas industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Oil & 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.
