The book on deposition, diagenesis, and weathering of
organic matter-rich sediments is a summary of seven years of
research work of the author at the Institute of Petroleum
and Organic Geochemistry in J}lich. It contains a
comparision of various depositional environments (lakes,
deltas, seas)with respect to organic matter
characteristics, a special chapter on the deposition of the
Posidonia shale, a summary of organic matter maturation and
related petroleum generation, and a chapter on the use of
maturationparameters as calibration tools for numerical
modelling of temperature histories of sedimentary basins.
Also, microscopic effects of petroleum generation and oil to
gas cracking are treated. The final chapters deal withcoals
as source rocks for oil and gas and with the effects of
weatheringon sediments which are rich in organic matter.