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 327,000 patents filed and granted in the oil & gas industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Hydrogen in oil & gas: liquified hydrogen storage. Buy the report here.
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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.
Liquified hydrogen storage is a key innovation area in hydrogen
Liquefied hydrogen storage involves the physical storage of compressed or liquefied hydrogen, which is used to fuel hydrogen-based technologies, such as fuel cells or hydrogen-powered vehicles. Liquefied hydrogen storage in the form of tankers can also be used for long haul transportation of the fuel from the production site towards its demand centers.
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 260+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established oil & gas companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of liquified hydrogen storage.
Key players in liquified hydrogen storage – 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 liquified hydrogen storage
| Company | Total patents (2021 - 2023) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Toyota Motor | 831 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Air Liquide | 589 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Honda Motor | 295 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hexagon Composites | 211 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Linde | 168 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Air Products and Chemicals | 164 | Unlock Company Profile |
| General Motors | 145 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kobe Steel | 145 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Bayerische Motoren Werke | 132 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hyundai Motor | 120 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Parkland | 103 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Robert Bosch Stiftung | 100 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Mercedes-Benz Group | 85 | Unlock Company Profile |
| TATSUNO | 78 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kia | 78 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Porsche Automobil | 71 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nissan Motor | 55 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ENEOS | 54 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Burelle | 53 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Faurecia | 48 | Unlock Company Profile |
| NPROXX BV | 46 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Quantum Fuel Systems | 42 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Emerson Electric | 40 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nel | 34 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Magna International | 33 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt | 31 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Worthington Industries | 30 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Airbus | 28 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Lotte Chemical | 25 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shinwa Controls | 24 | Unlock Company Profile |
| REHAU Automotive | 24 | Unlock Company Profile |
| The Japan Steel Works | 23 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Energy Investment | 22 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Textron | 22 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin | 21 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Toyoda Gosei | 21 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Alternative Fuel Containers | 20 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Linamar | 20 | Unlock Company Profile |
| CLEAN PLANET ENTERPRISES | 20 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Raytheon Technologies | 20 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sazaby League | 19 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shell | 17 | Unlock Company Profile |
| KITZ | 17 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hanwha | 16 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Steelhead Composites | 16 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Argo | 16 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Solvay | 16 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hitachi Plant Mechanics | 15 | Unlock Company Profile |
| NACCO Materials Handling Group | 15 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Meditor European Master Fund | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Toyota Motor is one of the leading patent filers in liquified hydrogen storage. It is a leading automobile manufacturer, which also produces hydrogen-fuelled vehicles in light motor vehicle category. It has made significant research and development (R&D) in liquid hydrogen storage technologies. In May 2023, the company demonstrated a liquid hydrogen-powered concept car, in a 24-hour race held in Japan. Some other key patent filers in the space include Air Liquide, Honda Motor, and Hexagon Composites.
Toyota Motor, Air Liquide, and KITZ are among the leaders in terms of application diversity. As a leading valves manufacturer in the world, KITZ develops valves for hydrogen production, storage, transportation, and utilization. It uses its proprietary fluid control technology and cryogenic technology to develops equipment for hydrogen economy.
By means of geographic reach, Emerson Electric held the top position, followed by Alternative Fuel Containers and CLEAN PLANET ENTERPRISES. Emerson has a geographically wide-ranging patent portfolio for liquid hydrogen storage. Its product portfolio covers production and distribution aspects of the hydrogen value chain. Its Micro Motion ELITE Ultra Cryogenic Coriolis flow meter product offering helps in the operation of cryogenic fuel stations for hydrogen-powered vehicles.
Liquified storage of gases permits use of lesser space to store the gases. Liquefied hydrogen storage allows compact storage as well as helps in transportation.
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.
