Tars generated by oil sand pyrolysis at different temperature in a fixed bed reactor were studied through TLC-FID and GC-MS. Compared to the raw oil sand extracts, pyrolysis could reduce the asphaltenes of oil which is benefit for storage, transport and further utilization. The temperature of pyrolysis affects not only product yield but also its composition. Analyzed together by TLC-FID and GC-MS, groups of tars at different temperature were identified. It was found higher temperature would strengthen the condensation reactions revealing increasing of cycloalkanes, indenes and PAHs increased with raising temperature. There was also a great amount of benzothiophenes which may generated by the decomposition of oil sand bitumen or aromatization of ring sulfides. That mainly contributed to the high content of resin in the tars.
