The patent and applications arose out of a Statoil research project called Sea Bed Logging, which was initiated and led by Ellingsrud and Eidesmo with some involvement by personnel from the University of Southampton. Sea Bed Logging, which is also referred to as controlled-source electromagnetic (CSEM) marine surveying for direct hydrocarbon detection, exploits differences in resistivity beneath the sea bed to identify hydrocarbon bearing reservoirs. The patent and applications are directed towards the fundamentals of CSEM surveying for direct hydrocarbon detection and are applicable to a range of geological formations at all water and reservoir depths.
The Patent Office decided that Statoil was the true proprietor of the patent and applications and that the University of Southampton had wrongly filed them. At the heart of the dispute was the terminology used to describe the process of CSEM for the direct detection of hydrocarbons. The Patent Office considered this in detail and came to the conclusion that the physical process described by both parties was basically the same.
Offshore Hydrocarbon Mapping plc (OHM), a company set up by Southampton University to commercialise the technology, will now lose the benefit of its licence from the University of Southampton under these patents, which are fundamental to the application of the technology. Svein Ellingsrud, emgs' vice president of R&D said: "I was convinced that this was our invention and I am glad that this dispute over terminology is resolved."
Terje Eidesmo, President of emgs said, "I am pleased with the Patent Office ruling that emgs are the owners of Sea Bed Logging technology. The dispute over the intellectual property rights has provided an unwelcome diversion for us. It will now be easier for us to forge working relationships with potential users of this technique and, indeed, to explore agreements with potential licensees without any ambiguity".
The Patent Office decided that Statoil was the true proprietor of the patent and applications and that the University of Southampton had wrongly filed them. At the heart of the dispute was the terminology used to describe the process of CSEM for the direct detection of hydrocarbons. The Patent Office considered this in detail and came to the conclusion that the physical process described by both parties was basically the same.
Offshore Hydrocarbon Mapping plc (OHM), a company set up by Southampton University to commercialise the technology, will now lose the benefit of its licence from the University of Southampton under these patents, which are fundamental to the application of the technology. Svein Ellingsrud, emgs' vice president of R&D said: "I was convinced that this was our invention and I am glad that this dispute over terminology is resolved."
Terje Eidesmo, President of emgs said, "I am pleased with the Patent Office ruling that emgs are the owners of Sea Bed Logging technology. The dispute over the intellectual property rights has provided an unwelcome diversion for us. It will now be easier for us to forge working relationships with potential users of this technique and, indeed, to explore agreements with potential licensees without any ambiguity".
| UK University is the patent loser - Upstream Article 02062006.pdf |