26 May 2006
OHM comment on University of Southampton Patent Case Appeal
Further to the announcements made on 22 July, 29 July and 15 September 2005, Offshore Hydrocarbon Mapping plc ("OHM" or the "Company") today announces that the University of Southampton has agreed with Statoil to discontinue its appeal against the UK Patent Office ruling awarding a patent from the University to Statoil of Norway. The agreement was reached before the hearing was due to start and is awaiting sealing by the court.
The discontinuation of the appeal by the University of Southampton does not have a detrimental effect on OHM's ongoing ability to conduct its business.
OHM has an exclusive licence from the University over all of the University's intellectual property in the EM field and this was one of the patents in that portfolio. The patent covered aspects of controlled source electromagnetic (CSEM) data acquisition and analysis for the detection of offshore hydrocarbon reservoirs. Technological advances in the last year means that OHM does not rely on any aspects of this patent.
Dave Pratt, CEO of OHM said: "The technological advances made by OHM in developing our Joint EM inversion technique has meant that the appeal, which was to be heard this month, had become a time consuming distraction for key personnel with no net benefit even if the University had ultimately won the case.
Following the decision by the University we can concentrate our resources on continuing to provide a top class CSEM service to our exploration clients and in attending to increasing our order book and enquiries for our services."
For further information, please contact:
OHM plc
www.ohmsurveys.com
Dave Pratt, Chief Executive Officer 0870 429 6581
Aquila Financial Limited
www.aquila-financial.com
Peter Reilly 020 7202 2601
Notes to editors
OHM's survey method transmits an electromagnetic field into the earth, which is modified by the presence of subsurface resistive layers. These changes in the field are measured and the resulting data is processed to provide information on the resistive structure of the subsurface.
Because hydrocarbon accumulations are generally very resistive, this method can indicate the presence of oil and gas in water depths of as little as 50 metres in certain circumstances and can detect and map the edges of such accumulations.
This reduces the risk of drilling non-commercial exploration wells and can reduce the need for appraisal drilling, thereby creating considerable value for oil explorers.
The company listed on London's Alternative Investment Market in March 2004.
The Patent Office ruling surrounds a patent application which was filed in December 2001 and subsequently granted to University of Southampton in the UK in March 2004. Statoil disputed this patent award and lodged an entitlement claim against the University of Southampton in the UK Patent Office in February 2004, the decision of which was announced on 22 July 2005 in favour of Statoil.
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