Neste Oil sues Dynamic Fuels, LLC, Syntroleum Corporation, and Tyson Foods for infringement on NExBTL-related patent

30 May 2012

Neste Oil Corporation has filed a patent infringement action against Dynamic Fuels, LLC, Syntroleum Corporation, and Tyson Foods, Inc in the US District Court for the District of Delaware. Neste Oil asserts that one of its patents is being infringed by Dynamic Fuels, Syntroleum and Tyson Foods in the production of renewable diesel at Dynamic Fuels’ plant in Geismar, Louisiana. (Earlier post.)

The action asserts infringement of Neste Oil’s US Patent—Nº 8,187,344, covering the composition of a diesel fuel—which protects aspects of Neste Oil’s renewable diesel technology, and was issued on 29 May 2012 and expires in 2025.

The patent specifically covers the composition for diesel fuel consisting of at least one component produced by a process comprising the hydrogenation and decomposition of fatty acids and/or fatty acid esters from biological raw material to form hydrocarbons and the isomerization of the hydrocarbons to form isoparaffins; and where the composition is free of aromates and has a cetane number higher than 60.

Neste Oil is the world’s leading producer of premium-quality renewable diesel. Based on our proprietary technology, Neste Oil’s NExBTL renewable diesel is the world’s best and cleanest diesel fuel today. We have protected this technology, which is very important for the Group’s business, with a number of patents and are committed to vigorously defending our intellectual property in this and other areas worldwide.

—Matti Hautakangas, Neste Oil’s General Counsel

Neste Oil has invested some €1.5 billion (US$1.86 billion) in renewable diesel production at its sites in Singapore, the Netherlands, and Finland over the last few years and currently has approx. 2 million t/a of NExBTL renewable diesel capacity.

Resources

• US Patent 8,187,344, Jakkula, et al. 29 May 2012: Fuel composition for a diesel engine