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Data Insights Hydrogen in oil & gas: ammonia synthesis

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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over 201,000 patents to analyze innovation intensity for the oil & gas industry, there are 65+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.

Ammonia synthesis is a key innovation area in hydrogen

Ammonia synthesis refers to the process of producing ammonia through the reaction of nitrogen and hydrogen gases in the presence of a catalyst. The most prevalent process typically involves the production of syngas through partial oxidation or steam reforming of hydrocarbons, followed by the water gas shift reaction and synthesis of ammonia.

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 120+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established oil & gas companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of ammonia synthesis.

Key players in ammonia synthesis – 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 ammonia synthesis

Casale is one of the leading patent filers in ammonia synthesis for the oil & gas industry. The privately-owned Swiss company offers technology licensing and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for the production of industrial chemicals such as ammonia. In order to reduce carbon footprint in chemical synthesis, it has invested in research and development (R&D) to develop blue ammonia and other technologies. Some other key patent filers in the space include Haldor Topsoe, Johnson Matthey, and ThyssenKrupp.

Exxon Mobil, Burelle and BASF are among the leaders in terms of application diversity. BASF, the German chemical manufacturing behemoth, has developed novel catalysts within its catalyst business division, including ammonia oxidation catalyst (AMOX) that prevents ammonia from escaping from the production process into the atmosphere.

By means of geographic reach, Grannus held the top position, followed by Exxon Mobil and Johnson Matthey. Grannus develops clean technologies for synthetic gas generation, which can be harnessed for ammonia production. It also offers project development services for ammonia production.

Ammonia synthesis is a fundamental step in ammonia production. Ammonia is widely used as a feedstock for fertilizer production as well as other essential materials for manufacturing, textile, and mining industries.

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.

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.