Sedimentological and organic petrological studies of two organic-rich deposits from basin to shallow-water settings have provided new insights into depositional controls on carbonate hydrocarbon source socks, especially the role of organic productivity versus preservation. Organic facies, as defined by incident light microscopy and maceral assemblages, have been correlated with depositional facies and cycles to exemplify first-order controls on source rock accumulation. Areally widespread basin-floor laminites from the Upper Devonian Duvernay Formation were examined along the foreslope of the Redwater reef complex, east-central Alberta. Total organic carbon (TOC) contents and organic facies vary with depositional facies, and within and between cycles. The most organic-rich laminites correspond to the deepest water, most condensed basin successions with the farthest backstepped reef margins. The paucity of algal bloom organic facies indicates that normal productivity prevailed throughout deposition of the Duvernay laminites at Redwater. Our results indicate that the primary control on organic matter accumulation was preservation initiated by bottom-water anoxia which developed at depths as shallow as 40 to 50 m. Secondary and tertiary controls on TOC and organic facies include degree of dilution from reef-shed sediment and cyclically controlled, sediment-ladened flows that moved down the reef slope and temporarily induced oxygenated conditions into deep bottom waters, upsetting basin stratification. Maceral ＇＇planktonic＇＇ assemblages in the Duvernay Formation reflect the degree of near-surface water agitation. Distinct organic facies correlate with selected depositional facies and the degree of bioturbation, suggesting a shared hydrodynamic control between near-surface water agitation and bottom-water oxygenation. In distal, downslope settings with low wave agitation, organic matter was preserved due to bottom-water anoxia. The resulting highly organic-rich laminites consist of: (1) the most basinward organic facies, OF A, dominated by small, but also minor large, Prasinophyte alginites; and (2) a more bankward organic facies, OF B, containing similar small Prasinophytes and significant acanthomorphic acritarchs. In the shallower, more proximal foreslope settings, where wave-agitated and oxygenated conditions prevailed, TOC is low to intermediate and the organic facies (OF C) is characterized by the same maceral assemblage as OF B plus persistent coccoidal alginites and sporinites. The Middle Devonian Lower Keg River Member occurs as a widespread carbonate ramp in north-central Alberta and was examined in the transition from the Senex platform to the La Crete Subbasin. In the La Crete Subbasin the potential hydrocarbon source rock is a metre-thick laminite (the bituminous marker) which was deposited in water depths of only 20-40 m. In contrast to the Duvernay Formation, high organic productivity (planktonic) was the first-order control on the accumulation of organic matter. The widespread occurrence of ＇＇algal bloom＇＇ organic facies (OF BL, OF BLI), as defined by algal akinete cells and abundant, variably degraded, large and thick-walled Prasinophyte phycomas, in the bituminous marker and coeval, platformal green shales is evidence for episodic high productivity along a shallow ramp. The high rates of organic productivity led to the development of an anoxic zone, at times virtually throughout the entire water column, and preservation of organic matter. Periodic deoxygenation of near-surface waters also fostered mass kills of pelagic organisms. In a proximal ramp setting, influx of terrigenous elastic sediment shed off the Peace River Arch, combined with oxygenated conditions, resulted in dolomitic shales with low TOC and reduced source rock potential.