The oxidation kinetics of a light Australian crude oil were studied experimentally using an evolved gas analysis technique. Mixtures of sand, water and an 824 kg m(-3) crude oil were heated at a controlled rate with a constant how of an oxidizing gas. The effluent gas was continually analysed for its oxygen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide contents. The oxidation behaviour was found to be substantially different to that previously observed for heavier crudes. An improved mathematical model is proposed that allows the oxidation kinetics of the oil to be modelled by considering three competing and overlapping classes of reactions. The model allows the kinetic parameters for each class of reaction to be estimated. The effects on the kinetic parameters of variables such as pressure, sand grain size and carbon dioxide content of the injection gas were also investigated experimentally.