The HYTORT /sup R/ process is a unique oil shale retorting process which uses an atmosphere of hydrogen gas at elevated pressure to produce higher yields of oil than are possible using conventional thermal retorting techniques. In the U.S., HYTORT process development efforts have played a key role in recognition of the significance of the Devonian oil shales as a major fossil energy resource. The results presented in this paper show that application of the HYTORT process to oil shales of countries such as Sweden, Italy, Jordan, and Canada may yield equally significant results.