Syntroleum, Neste entangled in renewable diesel suit

In Oklahoma, Syntroleum Corporation filed suit against Neste Oil Singapore Pte Ltd with the High Court of Singapore asserting its Singapore Patent No. 169053 entitled “Hydrocracking Process For Biological Feedstocks and Hydrocarbons Produced Therefrom.” In the court filings for Suit 510 of 2013, Syntroleum alleges that Neste “operates a renewable diesel refinery at 1 Tuas South Lane, Singapore 637301, that processes bio-renewable feedstocks to produce hydrocarbon products such as renewable diesel fuel and bio-naphtha” which Syntroleum alleges “falls within at least Claim 1 of the Patent.” Syntroleum’s patent issued on May 31, 2013, and expires on August 21, 2028.

Syntroleum’s action against Neste is not the first dispute between the parties in Singapore. On February 7, 2013, Syntroleum filed suit against Neste with the High Court of Singapore asserting its Singapore Patent No. 172045 entitled “Even Carbon Number Paraffin Composition And Method of Manufacturing Same.” In the court filings for Suit 120 of 2013, Syntroleum alleged that Neste’s “operation at its renewable diesel refinery in Singapore involves the processing of a bio-renewable feedstock to produce a hydrocarbon composition having at least 75 wt % even carbon number paraffins” which Syntroleum alleges “is claimed at the very least, in claim 22 of the Patent.” Syntroleum has invested substantial time and resources in its proprietary Bio-Synfining(R) technology and will seek to enforce its intellectual property rights in venues around the world.