According to Thomson Reuters’ legal business report, 706 patent applications for fracking technologies were filed worldwide in 2013. This is an increase of 28 % from 2012. Three quarters of the total patents came from the USA and China (Petrochina, Daqing Oilfield), but also Russian companies like Tatneft showed increased activity.

Overall, companies are developing new technologies to expand their fracking operations and to start projects in more challenging locations worldwide.

• State of Innovation 2014,
  Thomson Reuters