A series of analogs of fatty acid amide and fatty nitrile were identified along the shell bar section of the Qaidam Basin in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau by using the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). On such a basis, the distribution characteristics of the nitrogen-bearing lipids have been discussed in detail in this paper. According to previous studies and geographical conditions of the Qaidam Basin, the authors hold that the early diagenesis partly converted the fatty acid amide into the fatty nitrile. However, the ratio of the unsaturated fatty acid amide to the saturated one is relatively stable in the profile, indicating that there existed no obvious selectivity between these two types of fatty acid amides during the diagenetic processes including various biological, chemical and physical actions. It is therefore concluded that the depositional environment in the Qarhan paleolake was relatively aerobic during the organic component deposition. Being the first description of the fatty acid amide and fatty nitrile in paleolake sediments, this report provides the basis for the nitrogen-bearing lipids investigation in lake sediments.