摘要: Normal fatty acids have been found by several investigators in a number of sediments ranging age from Precambrian to Recent. This paper summarizes these occurrences. A variety molec-ular distributions observed. In most sediments, even-carbon-numbered normal are much more abundant than those with odd carbon numbers ; some however, concentrations even- and odd-carbon-numbered about equal. postulated as pos-sible precursors for paraffin hydrocarbons petroleum because 1) structural similarities between the two kinds molecules, 2) ubiquity biological materials, 3) acid-normal relationships 4) distribution paraffins crude oils. Evidence suggests that may be many intermediate high molecular weights petroleum. Detailed mechanisms chemical reactions which can de-rived under geo-logically reasonable conditions yet defined.