Partition coefficient difference of benzocarba-zole isomers between oil, water and mineral phase makes them auseful indicator to quantify petroleum migration distance. Because of their nitrogen-heteroatom andannelated aromatic cycles they are generally regarded asbeing more resistant and the effects of biodegradation ontheir concentrations and distributions have not previouslybeen investigated. Reservoir extracts from three wells lo-cated in the Leng43 block of the Liaohe Basin were analyzed to investigate their occurrence and the effect of biodegrada-tion. Both hydrocarbon biomarkers and benzocarbazole isomers show systematical changes with the increase extent of biodegradation in study columns. Carbazole compounds may be biodegraded in a similar way to that observed in aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons. The distance from oil water contact is a primary control factor for biodegradation. The concentrations of benzocarbazole isomers show a slight increase in the upper part of the columns then a sharp de-crease towards oil water contact (OWC). Among three iso-mers benzo[a]carbazole seems more susceptible to biode-gradation than other two isomers and benzo[b]carbazole has higher ability to res ist bacterial attack. Benzo[b]carba-zole/benzo- [a]carbazole ratios can sensitively indicate the degree of biodegradation and the benzocarbazole index (BCratio) cannot be directly used as a migration indicator inbiodegraded oils.