Pyrolysis experiments on northern Songliao basin oil shale were carried out by Rock-Eval analyzer at five different heating rates of 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 degrees C/min. Pyrolysis characteristics of oil shale were investigated at different heating rates. Kinetic parameters of oil shale pyrolysis were determined by using Friedman procedure and global first-order kinetics. From Friedman procedure, it is concluded that most reactions occur with the activation energy of 165-545 kJ/mol. The linear relationship between activation energy and logarithm of frequency factor was obtained. The values of activation energy and frequency factor, deduced from the first-order equation case, are used to predict pyrolysis time. It is found that pyrolysis time is correlating with pyrolysis temperature.