Fixed-bed pyrolysis experiments at differ ent temperatures and heating rates have been conducted on a rapeseed sample to investigate the effect of particle size and sweep gas velocity on the product yields. The various characteristics of pyrolytic oil acquired under these conditions were identified. The maximum oil yield of 53 % was obtained at a pyrolysis temperature of 500 degreesC, a heating rate of 7 degreesC/min, and nitrogen flow rate of 100 cm(3)/min with a particle size range of 0.85-1.8 mm. The chemical characterization has shown that the oil obtained from rapeseed was quite similar to the crude oil and shale oil.