The article analyzes the main elements of the state corporations’ R&D system: technological goals and priorities, R&D financing, interaction with partners, innovation management system and infrastructure, patent activity. The work is based on the data in the Annual Reports and Sustainability Reports for 2019 and 2020 of Russian companies in the oil and gas sector with state participation: Gazprom, Rosneft, Gazprom Neft, Zarubezhneft. The case study research design and comparative analysis were used, which made it possible to compare data across enterprises. As a result, general trends in the implementation of innovative activities of enterprises were found. Among these are the inattention of corporations to the organizational issues of innovation management; developed network of partnerships around innovations; growth in R&D funding; relative patent activity of enterprises; focus on innovation in terms of core production, as well as in the areas of shelf development (including the Arctic), ecology, energy saving and renewable energy sources; promotion of digitalization. A comparison of the contents of the documents leads to the conclusion that there are certain innovative efforts and results of enterprises, reflected in innovative projects, implemented developments, indicators of R&D costs and their economic efficiency, patent activity. However, modern theories of the innovation ecosystem, «open innovation», and «digital innovation platforms» are not included in the modern agenda of companies' innovation policy.
innovations; state corporations; oil and gas sector; R&D; public reporting; annual reports; sustainable development.