SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
FORM 8-K
Current Report Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported) September 2, 1998
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UNOCAL CORPORATION
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
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(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
1-8483 95-3825062
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(Commission File Number) (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
2141 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 4000, El Segundo, California 90245
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(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
(310) 726-7600
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(Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
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Item 5. Other Events.
On August 31, 1998, Judge Kim Wardlaw of the United States District Court for
the Central District of California ruled that Unocal Corporation acted properly
during the course of the application and review for a patent on new reformulated
gasolines with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. This ruling concludes the
final phase of the trial of Unocal's suit against six other oil companies.
Earlier, a District Court jury upheld the validity of Unocal's reformulated
gasolines patent and awarded the company damages of 5-3/4 cents per gallon of
gasoline manufactured by the defendants that infringed on that patent.
During the earlier jury phase of the trial, evidence presented showed that 1.19
billion gallons, or 29.1 percent of the total California reformulated gasoline
manufactured by the defendants between March 1, 1996, and July 31, 1996,
infringed on Unocal's patent. Of that, 60 percent was premium grade gasoline (92
octane or greater), which accounted for about one-fifth of the total gallons
manufactured. Based on the jury award of 5-3/4 cents per gallon, Unocal would be
entitled to approximately $69 million from the six oil company defendants for
the five-month period.
Unocal will request an accounting of infringement by the defendants for the
period from July 31, 1996, to the present, seeking damages for the infringing
gallons produced by the defendants during the period.
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
UNOCAL CORPORATION
(Registrant)
Date: September 2, 1998 By: /s/ JOE D. CECIL
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Joe D. Cecil
Vice President and Comptroller
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