Technologies “provide a competitive advantage…whether it’s for one shareholder or several shareholders,” said Aramco’s Chief Technology Officer Ahmad Al-Khowaiter in an interview at the company’s Dhahran headquarters. Creative Energy State-run Aramco is besting rivals with new methods for pumping and processing oil. Sources: United States Patent and Trademark Office; IFI CLAIMS Patent Services; Intellectual Property Office Mr. Al-Khowaiter is trying to encourage a free flow of ideas at a time when Aramco faces more public scrutiny than ever as the company has put on hold a public offering of shares . Aramco is also weighing the possibility of attracting a single strategic investor. In the past five years, Aramco has doubled the number of scientists in its labs, to 1,300 out of a total workforce of about 65,000, and opened nine research centers in places like Detroit, Paris and Beijing. It has scooped up top scientists from oil-services companies […]