The HYTORT 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. It is the result of nearly $20 million worth of research, demonstration, and design work by HYCRUDE Corporation, the Institute of Gas Technology, Phillips Petroleum Company, and Betchel Group, Inc. This work, which concentrated on the Devonian shales of the Eastern United States, established the technical feasibility of the HYTORT process as well as its economics for application to Eastern U.S. shales.