This research project addresses the question: do the isotopes of carbon in the organic matter of the sediments within and around the Buccaneer Field indicate that any alteration of the sedimentary organic matter has resulted from drilling and producing operations? Isotopes are a potentially useful tool to use in this inquiry, because various possible sources of carbon are characterized by distinctive stable isotope ratios and/or radiocarbon contents. Crude oil is commonly isotopically lighter than organic matter in recent marine sediments by more than 5 per mil δ13C; and, of course, any carbon brought up from an oil or gas field would be devoid of radiocarbon.