An experimental design was carried out to determine the influence of s
ample weight, final temperature, initial gas pressure, heating rate, r
esidence time and nature of the pyrolysis atmosphere on the yield and
composition of pyrolysis shale oil. The study involved discontinuous p
yrolysis procedures. The most influential factors were determined and
the first-order interactions between them were analysed. The results o
btained were exploited, using response surface methodology, to optimiz
e the experimental conditions of pyrolysis. The main finding is that t
he percentages of the oils (>240% of the Fischer assay which provides
70 lt(-1) of oil) and their quality (asphaltenes, paraffins, etc.) are
very satisfactory. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.