Describes applications and limitations of vitrinite reflectance in relation to microscopic features, geochemistry, and basin modeling. Includes chapters on the chemical transformation of vitrinite macerals using pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and NMR, FTIR, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Describes correlation of vitrinite reflectance to other physical and chemical maturity/rank parameters. Discusses the application of kinetic and other numerical or geochemical modeling to solving major geological problems.