Computerized chromate-mass spectrometry methods have been used to study the higher cyclic biomarkers (steranes and tri-, tetra- and pentacyclic terpanes) of Ciscaucasian crude oils. The crude oils investigated cover the entire productive stratigraphic range of deposits, from Neogenic to Triassic. On the basis of the results obtained the crude oil generation conditions and the composition of the initial organic matter have been determined. Oils occurring in Triassic and Jurassic deposits have undergone high catagenetic conversion (the biomarker concentration is low). Crude oils occurring in Upper Cretaceous deposits of the platform area of the Caucasus and also crude oils from Cenozoic deposits of the Tersk-Sunzhensk zone are catagenetically mature with a high biomarker concentration. The Cenozoic crude oils of the West Kuban＇ foredeep are catagenetically less mature.