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Oil shale from the Stuart A deposit in Queensland, Australia has been pyrolysed in supercritical toluene in the presence and absence of gas-phase molecular hydrogen. Data have been collected in a 300-cm 3 stirred tank autoclave, at a nominal residence time of 1 h, temperatures of 698 and 733 K, and 14.43 MPa total pressure (at temperature). Results for conversion of organic carbon to oil have been computed based on a carbon balance on the reaction system. The data have shown toluene to be an excellent dense-gas medium for production of shale oil from oil shale. Carbon conversions and oil yields of 86% and 95%, respectively, were achieved in the presence of gas-phase molecular hydrogen. Carbon conversions were severely depressed in the absence of hydrogen, clearly indicating the need for hydrogen activity in order to obtain high oil yields. An overall oil yield of 160% of Fischer Assay was achieved at a relatively low hydrogen consumption and moderate operating conditions.