Tech patent landscape rocky for oil & gas companies

By

Australian operators warned.

Technology patents could pose a significant business risk for oil & gas companies operating at the limits of Australia’s territorial waters, a new report warns.

Tech patent landscape rocky for oil & gas companies

The report (pdf), authored by Dr Mary Turonek of Griffith Hack lawyers, found there are nearly 5000 active oil & gas patents for inventions in the field of drilling and refining alone.

Those patents, however, may not be enforceable in some areas, particularly the shared exploitation area between Australia and Timor-Leste (formerly East Timor). This is because Timor-Leste has no patent law, and therefore mutual patent protection cannot be obtained.

Exploitation technology can also be subject to patent protection if the final destination country of the extracted resource has a patent over the machinery, operations or techniques used in mining the resource.

“In a globalised world ... where transactions for procurement of technology routinely transcend borders, it is important to understand that certain actions taken in one country may constitute infringement of a patent in a different country,” Turonek wrote.

The growth in LNG extraction is particularly noted in the report, with LNG moving from a niche to a major export product for Australian producers.

“Suppliers may also risk contributory infringement of a patent by supplying goods without the authority of the patentee, if the use of those goods by a third party would infringe a patent,” noted the report.

Turonek warns resources companies must perform a full IP and patent landscape check.

“Knowledge of the patent landscape provides a map of where infringement liability risk is evident,” the report stated.

Resources companies should also request a patent healthcheck from all suppliers, as well as engage with patent holder in relevant countries. 

Got a news tip for our journalists? Share it with us anonymously here.
Copyright © iTnews.com.au . All rights reserved.
Tags:

Most Read Articles

Victoria Police renews decade-long IT support deal for another three years

Victoria Police renews decade-long IT support deal for another three years

Qld tables $1 billion for major whole-of-government tech overhaul

Qld tables $1 billion for major whole-of-government tech overhaul

Google offers new proposal to stave off EU antitrust fine

Google offers new proposal to stave off EU antitrust fine

WA Police Force to spend $30.8m on IT 'optimisation'

WA Police Force to spend $30.8m on IT 'optimisation'

Log In

  |  Forgot your password?