Repost: Tim, regarding SFD patents vs. no patents...
You are exactly right. One small change and bingo. Also, how would they know if someone was using the devise? Like I say, so what if others eventually figure it out, those companies will keep it a major secret too. Split the world up four ways, 8 ways, pick a number. It is a lot. However, my fantasy is this: We never have to find out if one of the majors develops the SFD because Pinnacle sells it to them. Within say 12-24 months, this device will have been used all around the world in many different types of geography. At this point its strengths and weaknesses are known (for example, it will not work in the middle east as those are sandy deposits and there is not any stress involved with the structures. Carbonate reefs it finds all day long. Other structures are a little more tricky than others to pick out of the waveforms. Stuff like that.) Anyway, at that time put the company up for bid. I called Exxon and they said they budget $900 million a year for exploration (this includes land acqu, seismic, teams, and exploratory well costs. They would not break each component out for me.) So what would they spend for access to the SFD? What multiple or fraction of that yearly budget? Better yet, sell 5% of the company to each of the "7 sisters." Then the 7 largest oil companies in the world would have a vested interest in protecting "their" technology. Just my fantasy...
But again, you are absolutely correct, patents are worthless.
-Dilution
|
