This analysis covers technologies used as part of the extraction and refining processes in the shale oil and gas sub-sector of the oil and gas sector. The patent analysis examines inventions filed between 2000 and 2012.
Patenting activity for this industry sub-sector has experienced rapid growth over this period:
- the top five applicants account for 12% of the total patenting activity worldwide related to shale oil and gas
- China and the United States account for 66% of all filings
- Sinopec, the top filer worldwide in the shale oil and gas industry sub-sector, is an active filer in many technological areas within the industry
- Halliburton and Schlumberger are active in technologies related to “drilling” and “well formation”
- the Japanese companies Idemitsu, JX Nippon and Cosmo Oil Co. are all active in the area of “desulfurization”