Earth and Environmental Science

Analyses data on the composition, structure and formation ofvarious petroleum hydrocarbons: the alkanes, cycloalkanesand arenes. Attention is paid to biological markers, com-pounds that may have preserved the main structural featuresof the original biogenic molecules. Concepts of chemicalclassification of crude oils are reviewed with respect tothe molecular mass distribution of biological markers, andthe genesis and chemical evolution of petroleum hydrocarbonsare discussed.