Intellectual Property

The new approach to the management and exploitation of intellectual property assets led to the development of a new model, that represents the entire life cycle of any technology-based intellectual asset (patent, trade secret or software copyright). It consists of four stages, in successive cycles:
Development, including all the activities necessary to expand intellectual property;

• Defence, which includes all the activities aimed at the protection of inventions and intellectual property from any action prejudicial to its value;
• Active Management, including efforts to extract value from IP through the identification of opportunities for market exploitation;
• Operational support, including technical activities in support of each stage of the life cycle and the administrative management of IP.

Eni total patent portfolio, including petrochemicals and engineering & construction, accounts for over 8,000 patents¹, protecting ca. 1,000 inventions², corresponding to as many patent families. Eni S.p.A. portfolio amounts to about 3,500 patents.
Eni's commitment in the active Intellectual Property Management is focused on two directions: the maximization of the protection of innovative solutions generated by on-going R&D projects and the rationalization of the existing portfolio according to business strategies. These  rationalization activities are part of the methodology developed by Eni for the exploitation of the patent portfolio; the aim is defining the criteria and tasks required to improve the alignment of IP assets with the business needs and to estimate their qualitative and quantitative value.

In 2010, Eni filed 88 new patent applications, 78 excluding the contribution of Polimeri Europa on petrochemical issues. The main innovations involve well drilling and completion, conversion of refinery residues in high quality products (EST), conversion of natural gas (GTL), formulation of new products and systems for environmental protection, alternative and renewable energy.
Regarding to this last issue, 22 patent applications were filed in 2010 (for a total of 54 applications, including the previous years).

 Note

1) - Individual patent or individual patent application filed in Italy or abroad.
2) -  When a patent application is filed in order to protect a new invention, a patent case is started and a new patent family begins, that will be enlarged by the future extensions abroad of the original patent application.