Abstract: An apparatus for removing oil, gas and by-products from pyrobituminous shale impregnated with hydrocarbons utilizes a vertically disposed reactor having a top portion, a middle portion and a bottom portion. As shale is introduced into the top portion of the reactor through a rotary seal mechanism, hot gasses are introduced into the middle portion of the reactor through hollow, parallel tubes having a hexagonal configuration with gas introducing holes disposed in the side walls which are protected by overhanging portions of the top walls. Relatively cool gasses are introduced into the bottom portion of the reactor through horizontally disposed circumferentially spaced pipes having downwardly and outwardly chamfered inner ends to prevent clogging of the pipes. The hot effluent gasses from the top portion of the reactor are passed through the cyclone, a heat regenerator for reducing the temperature of the gaseous stream and an electrostatic precipitator prior to being compressed.