CO2 Geological Storage & Injection Wells Patent Landscape
The CO2 geological storage and injection wells space is in a Growth stage, with the recent three-year filing window sitting 390% above the prior three-year window, though annual volume has eased from its 2023 peak. Activity is moderately concentrated, with oilfield-services and national oil companies sharing the lead, and E21B (earth and rock drilling) dominating the technology mix.
Saudi Arabian Oil Co and Halliburton lead a moderately concentrated field
Saudi Arabian Oil Co ranks first with 27 patent records, followed closely by Halliburton Energy Services at 26 and a tightly grouped trio — IFP Energies Nouvelles, PetroChina, and. China Petroleum & Chemical Corp — each at 21.
The top five filers account for 19% of the combined output of the hundred largest filers, indicating moderate concentration. No single player holds a dominant grip; the top two are separated by only one patent record, and the gap between ranks two and three is five records, suggesting a competitive first tier rather than a clear monopoly.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saudi Arabian Oil Company | 27 | |
| 2 | Halliburton Energy Services Inc. | 26 | |
| 3 | IFP Energies Nouvelles | 21 | |
| 4 | PetroChina Co. Ltd. | 21 | |
| 5 | CHINA PETROLEUM & CHEMICAL CORP | 21 | |
| 6 | ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company | 20 | |
| 7 | CHINA UNIV OF MINING & TECH | 17 | |
| 8 | China University of Petroleum (East China) | 16 | |
| 9 | Southwest Petroleum University | 14 | |
| 10 | Schlumberger Technology Corporation | 14 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Services Petroliers Schlumberger SA | 13 | |
| 12 | Koloma Inc. | 13 | |
| 13 | AIR PROD & CHEM INC | 12 | |
| 14 | Blue Planet Systems Corporation | 11 | |
| 15 | Equinor Energy AS | 11 | |
| 16 | ABB (Schweiz) AG | 11 | |
| 17 | Mirade Consultants Ltd. | 10 | |
| 18 | Board of Regents, The University of Texas System | 10 | |
| 19 | Huaneng Qingyang Coal & Power Co. Ltd. | 9 | |
| 20 | American Shale Oil LLC | 9 |
The co-presence of oilfield-services majors (Halliburton, Schlumberger), national oil companies (Saudi Aramco, PetroChina, Sinopec), and a French public research institute (IFP Energies Nouvelles) signals that both commercial operators and publicly funded bodies are racing to establish foundational positions, creating a multi-polar competitive front.
The most recent 18–24 months of filing data are under-counted due to publication lag; apparent softening in 2024–2026 figures should not be read as a real decline in activity. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
A 390% multi-year surge concentrated in E21B well-drilling technology
The filing trend and technology-composition charts together show a field that shifted from low-single-digit annual volumes before 2021 to a peak of 122 patent records in 2023, with E21B earth-and-rock drilling accounting for the largest share of filings by a wide margin.
Annual filing trend
Annual filings rose from 26 in 2017, dipped in 2018–2020, then accelerated sharply from 2021 onward, peaking at 122 records in 2023 before easing to 101 in 2024 and 67 in 2025. The 2025 and 2026 bars are further understated by publication lag and should not be interpreted as a plateau or decline.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
E21B (earth and rock drilling / wells) dominates with 597 patent records — more than six times the next-largest branch, B65G (conveying and material handling) at 88. Secondary branches including C09K (materials for miscellaneous applications), G01V (geophysics and gravity surveying), and C01B (non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds) each hold single-digit percentage shares, reflecting the field’s strong centering on wellbore engineering.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaHighly cited patent families surfaced by the query
Citation-heavy patent families returned by the query. Use this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents.
CO2 Injection Well Placement
This disclosure describes methods and systems for CO2 injection well placement in a target area. The method involves identifying input data associated with the target area, the input data including at least one of core samples or well logs from the target area; generating, based on the input data, a structural depth grid of the target area; generating… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carbon capture and storage | 143 |
| 2 | Utilizing salts for carbon capture and storage | 99 |
| 3 | Subterranean permeability modification by using mi… | 84 |
| 4 | 页岩气井液态CO2压裂工艺 | 55 |
| 5 | Storing carbon dioxide and producing methane and g… | 55 |
| 6 | Method of conjugated hydrocarbon gas extraction an… | 51 |
| 7 | Storing Carbon Dioxide and Producing Methane and G… | 46 |
| 8 | Carbon sequestration methods and systems | 45 |
Ranked by total forward citations. Citation counts favour older and broadly cited patent families, and broad or adjacent patents may appear when they match the search scope. Treat this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents. Some patent titles may be shown in their original, non-English language where an accurate translation could not be guaranteed.
What the competitive structure means for R&D investment decisions
Four structural signals — maturity stage, concentration, collaboration patterns, and geographic spread — together define where defensible positions can still be established and where fast-follower strategies remain viable.
Growth stage with peak behind it
The field is classified as Growth: the recent three-year filing window sits 390% above the prior three-year window, confirming a still-expanding multi-year trajectory. Annual volume, however, has eased from its 2023 peak of 122 records. New entrants can still establish positions, but the window before the field matures is narrowing and foundational well-engineering claims are increasingly occupied.
Growth · past 2023 peakMulti-polar first tier, no dominant holder
The top five filers hold 19% of the hundred largest filers’ combined output, and the gap between the top two applicants is a single patent record. This multi-polar structure means no incumbent can block the space unilaterally, but it also means any new entrant must differentiate on sub-technology focus rather than filing volume alone. The university cohort — China University of Mining & Technology, China University of Petroleum (East China), Southwest Petroleum University — adds an academic tier that may license rather than litigate.
Moderate concentrationSchlumberger entities and Sinopec drive co-filing activity
The most active co-filing pairs are Schlumberger Technology Corp with Schlumberger Canada Ltd (7 joint records) and Schlumberger Technology Corp with Schlumberger NV (7 joint records), reflecting intra-group portfolio coordination. Saudi Arabian Oil Co co-files with Aramco Services Co (5 records), and China Petroleum & Chemical Corp co-files with its Exploration & Development Research Institute (5 records). Cross-company, arms-length collaborations are sparse, suggesting IP is treated as a competitive asset rather than a shared pre-competitive resource.
Intra-group dominantChina leads filing volume; US and PCT pathways signal global intent
China accounts for 236 patent records — the largest single jurisdiction — reflecting both domestic regulatory push and the strong presence of Chinese universities and NOCs. The United States follows at 145 records, and WIPO PCT filings (73 records) indicate that several applicants are seeking broad international protection. Europe (EPO, 51 records) and Canada (39 records) round out the major jurisdictions, consistent with the geography of major storage-project deployment.
China-led, global reachGo beyond the landscape: Eureka’s TRIZ Solution agent breaks down an R&D problem and returns patented concept solutions, each with a technical approach and cited patent & literature evidence.
| Applicant | Collaborator | Co-filings |
|---|---|---|
| Schlumberger Technology Corporation | Schlumberger Canada Ltd. | 7 |
| Schlumberger Technology Corporation | Schlumberger NV | 7 |
| Saudi Arabian Oil Company | Aramco Services Company | 5 |
| China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) | Sinopec Exploration & Development Research Institute | 5 |
| Schlumberger Technology Corporation | Schlumberger Technology BV | 4 |
| China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) | Sinopec Zhongyuan Oilfield Petroleum Engineering Technology Research Institute | 3 |
| PetroChina Co. Ltd. | Daqing Oilfield Co. Ltd. | 3 |
| Schlumberger Technology Corporation | GeoQuest Systems BV | 3 |
| China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) | Sinopec Safety Engineering Research Institute Co. Ltd. | 2 |
| China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) | Sinopec East China Oil & Gas Branch | 2 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Saudi Arabian Oil Co and Halliburton anchor the field with overlapping E21B focus
Both leading applicants concentrate heavily on E21B subclasses covering well completion, production, and environmental protection, but differ in secondary emphases — Saudi Aramco extends into reservoir characterization while Halliburton stays tightly focused on wellbore engineering.
Saudi Arabian Oil Co
Ranked first with 27 patent records, Saudi Arabian Oil Co concentrates on E21B 41 (environmental protection in well drilling, 18 records), E21B 43 (production of fluids from wells, 17 records), and E21B 49 (sampling or testing in wells, 6 records). Its momentum is flagged as a new entrant in the recent three-year window (18 recent records), indicating the bulk of its portfolio is a recent strategic build-out aligned with Saudi Arabia’s CCS commitments.
patent records: 27Halliburton Energy Services
Ranked second with 26 patent records, Halliburton leads in E21B 41 (18 records) and supplements with E21B 43 (9 records) and E21B 33 (well sealing and casing, 7 records). Its momentum is also flagged as a new entrant in the recent period (25 recent records), suggesting Halliburton has repositioned its oilfield-services IP portfolio toward storage and injection applications as a deliberate growth initiative rather than a legacy position.
patent records: 26| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Halliburton Energy Services Inc. | 25 | ▲ new entrant |
| Saudi Arabian Oil Company | 18 | ▲ new entrant |
| China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) | 13 | ▲ new entrant |
| PetroChina Co. Ltd. | 15 | ▲ new entrant |
| China University of Mining and Technology | 8 | ▲ new entrant |
| China University of Petroleum (East China) | 4 | ▲ new entrant |
| Southwest Petroleum University | 7 | ▲ new entrant |
| Schlumberger Technology Corporation | 9 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served adjacent branches worth monitoring
Several IPC classes appear in the corpus at materially lower share than the dominant E21B class. Two branches stand out as having plausible technical relevance and realistic entry paths for teams already active in CO2 storage.
G01V · Geophysics & gravity surveying
G01V appears in 39 patent records — roughly 3% of branch-level activity — despite geophysical monitoring being a regulatory and operational prerequisite for any geological storage site. This relative sparsity suggests that seismic and gravitational monitoring methods tailored specifically to CO2 plume tracking are under-patented. Teams with expertise in 4D seismic or distributed acoustic sensing could target this branch; the technical entry path runs through adaptation of existing reservoir-monitoring IP to the specific density and phase-change characteristics of supercritical CO2.
Search this in Eureka →C09K · Materials for misc. applications
C09K accounts for 54 patent records (approximately 4% of branch activity), covering specialty materials such as well-treatment fluids, sealants, and formation-conditioning agents relevant to injection-well integrity. Given that wellbore integrity failure is a primary risk in long-term CO2 storage, this branch represents an under-served engineering challenge. Entry paths exist for materials companies or cement/sealant specialists able to demonstrate CO2-resistant formulations under supercritical conditions across the pressure and temperature ranges typical of saline aquifer or depleted-reservoir storage.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ across E21B subclasses and adjacent routes
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | E21B 43 · Earth & rock drilling (wells) | E21B 41 · Earth & rock drilling (wells) | E21B 47 · Earth & rock drilling (wells) | B65G 5 · Conveying & material handling | E21B 49 · Earth & rock drilling (wells) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabian Oil Company | Strong · 17 | Strong · 18 | Absent | Absent | Moderate · 6 |
| IFP Energies Nouvelles | Absent | Strong · 14 | Strong · 11 | Strong · 12 | Absent |
| China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) | Strong · 21 | Absent | Moderate · 5 | Absent | Emerging · 4 |
| Halliburton Energy Services Inc. | Absent | Strong · 18 | Moderate · 6 | Absent | Moderate · 5 |
| PetroChina Co. Ltd. | Strong · 19 | Absent | Moderate · 5 | Absent | Emerging · 3 |
| ABB (Schweiz) AG | Strong · 9 | Strong · 11 | Absent | Moderate · 3 | Absent |
| ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company | Strong · 18 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus contains 477 patent families in scope, spanning filings across 27 jurisdictions and covering the full well-engineering and subsurface-storage technology stack.
Saudi Arabian Oil Co leads with 27 patent records, followed by Halliburton Energy Services with 26. Both built the majority of their positions in the most recent three-year window, consistent with accelerating corporate CCS commitments.
The field is classified as Growth. The recent three-year filing window is 390% above the prior three-year window. Annual volume peaked at 122 records in 2023 and has eased since, though recent years are further understated by publication lag.
China leads with 236 patent records, followed by the United States (145), WIPO PCT (73), Europe via the EPO (51), and Canada (39). The combination of China’s domestic volume and substantial PCT filings reflects both local regulatory drivers and global commercialization intent.
E21B (earth and rock drilling / wells) dominates with 597 patent records. Adjacent branches such as G01V (geophysics and gravity surveying, 39 records) and C09K (materials for miscellaneous applications, 54 records) are present but at materially lower density relative to the dominant class, representing under-served areas given their operational relevance to CO2 storage.
Collaboration is dominated by intra-group filing coordination. The most active pairs are Schlumberger Technology Corp with Schlumberger Canada Ltd (7 joint records) and Schlumberger Technology Corp with Schlumberger NV (7 records), followed by Saudi Arabian Oil Co with Aramco Services Co (5 records) and Sinopec with its Exploration & Development Research Institute (5 records). Cross-company external collaborations are sparse.
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Disclaimer. This page is generated from PatSnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent and scientific-literature records, and is provided for general information and reference only.
Patent data carries inherent limitations: recent filings (typically the most recent 18–24 months) are under-counted due to standard publication lag; counts may be reported at either a patent-family or a patent-record basis and are not always directly comparable; classification, applicant-name, and citation data may contain errors, duplicates, or omissions; and the underlying search query defines and constrains the scope shown. As a result, the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
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