The hydrogasification of a low-rank coal was carried out in a two-stage fixed bed reactor with a focus on the separate effects of hydrocracking temperature, hydrogen pressure and vapor residence time on the formations of gaseous and liquid products, particularly the oxygen-containing products. While the yields of CH4 increased with the increase of hydrocracking temperature (500-750 degrees C) and hydrogen pressure (0.1-5.0 MPa), the yields of CO2 showed a downtrend. Both the yield of CH4 and that of CO2 changed insignificantly with the vapor residence time (20-100 s). The yield of CO varied somewhat complicatedly with the hydrocracking conditions. The gas generation was influenced not only by the hydrocracking of volatile matter but also by the gas-phase reactions. The increased severity of hydrocracking substantially enhanced the yield of BTX (benzene, toluene and xylene), even with the strengthened decomposition of toluene and xylene. Phenol was hydrocracked to an increased extent, with increasing hydrocracking temperature and hydrogen pressure, whereas naphthalene was barely hydrocracked till the hydrogen pressure was elevated to 5.0 MPa. The pressurized hydrogen intensified the hydrogenation of oxygen atoms in coal forming more water. The yields of water arising from the hydrogenation reactions were found to have a good correlation with the oxygen contents in various coal and biomass samples. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.