This article presents results of studies of the physiocochemical characteristics and hydrocarbon compositions of crude oils from the northern oil and gas province. It establishes that the oils are all nearly identical in properties (with the exception of the Russkaya crude from the Cenomanian deposits) and that they differ from the crudes and products obtained in other oil and gas districts of West Siberia. The crudes from the northern region are low-sulfur (below 0.5%), and that the potential content of distillates below 350/sup 0/C is extremely high, reaching levels of 91% and 84% by weight for the Kharvutte and Tarko-Salinsk crudes, respectively. It is recommended that these crudes should be segregated from the others of West Siberia in order to take advantage of their particular qualities.