Shot coke is a by-product of the delayed coking process, and can represent a significant part of the petroleum coke produced. It is comprised in general of two basic types, namely regular shot coke and clustered or agglomerated coke. Shot coke is, however, of little or no commercial value, particularly if it has a high sulphur content, as is becoming increasingly the case in most oil refineries. Upgrading the coke and reducing its sulphur content would add considerably to its economic value both as a fuel and/or for making aluminium anodes. Towards this end, samples of Syrian shot coke, produced by the delayed coking unit at the Homs Oil Refinery, were thermally treated at high temperatures and increased residence time. A coke of higher quality was thereby obtained, with reduced sulphur content (1%) and higher real density (1.9g/ cm 3 ). The observed weight loss was minimal, and the decrease in the calorific value was less than the average expected for other types of petroleum coke.