Unocal Suit on Gas Patent Faces Delay

Unocal Corp.’s bid to collect at least $300 million from major refiners might be delayed for months to allow U.S. officials to review a patent for cleaner gasoline at the center of the case.

The Patent and Trademark Office last year began reexamining the validity of Unocal’s patent on the gasoline formula at the request of refiners. The agency rejected Unocal’s patent in a preliminary review in February.

U.S. District Judge Christina Snyder in Los Angeles agreed to grant refiner Valero Energy Corp. a suspension of Unocal’s lawsuit until July. She was expected to rule by Friday on Unocal’s case against BP, ChevronTexaco Corp., Exxon Mobil Corp. and Royal/Dutch Shell Group.