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The Union process was an above ground shale oil extraction technology for production of shale oil, a type of synthetic crude oil. The process used a vertical retort where heating causes decomposition of oil shale into shale oil, oil shale gas and spent residue. The particularity of this process is that oil shale in the retort moves from the bottom upward to the top, countercurrent to the descending hot gases, by a mechanism known as a rock pump. The process technology was invented by the American oil company Unocal Corporation in late 1940s and was developed through several decades. The largest oil shale retort ever built was the Union B type retort. ==History== Union Oil Company of California (Unocal) started its oil shale activities in 1920s. In 1921, it acquired an oil shale tract in the Parachute Creek area of Colorado, southern Piceance Basin.〔 〕 The development of the Union process began in the late 1940s, when the Union A retort was designed.〔 〕 This technology was tested between 1954 and 1958 at the company-owned tract in the Parachute Creek.〔〔 〕〔 〕 During these tests, up to 1,200 tonne per day of oil shale was processed, resulting of shale oil, which was refined at a Colorado refinery.〔〔 〕〔 〕 More than of gasoline and fuels were produced.〔 This production was finally shut down in 1961 due to cost.〔〔 In 1974, the Union B process, evolved from the Union A process, was developed.〔〔〔 In 1976, Union announced its plans to build a Union B demonstration plant.〔 Construction started in 1981 at Long Ridge in Garfield County, Colorado, and the plant was started its operations in 1986. It was closed in 1991 after production of shale oil.〔〔 〕〔 〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Union process」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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