In this study, solvent extraction was used to recover oil from petrochemical sludge. Three solvents were chosen to mix with petrochemical sludge to ensure adequate miscibility of crude oil in solvent under an appropriate condition. The petrochemical sludge, crude oil sample and residual petrochemical sludge were analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The experiments were performed at three different heating rates (10, 20, 30 degrees C/min) under nitrogen atmosphere. The aim of the study was to recover and evaluate crude oil from petrochemical sludge and assess the commercial potential of recycling the crude oil. Experimental results showed that the common temperature range of weight loss of the crude oil sample was about 200-550 degrees C. The residual petrochemical sludge still remained the partial characteristics of petrochemical sludge, which demonstrated that the residual petrochemical sludge still had the value of exploiting and utilizing for further research. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.