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A number of different scales of organization are believed to be important in the deep convention and deep water formation processes. Among them we clearly identify two scales: the so called chimney and the mesoscale eddies resulting from a baroclinic instability of the chimney. Based on past and recent observations in the Mediterranean, Greenland, Labrador and Weddell Seas, we are discussing the chimney-eddy structure in detail in each of these four distinct areas. Then we analyze the dynamics of this complex structure in order to infer its importance in the context of deep convection and deep water formation in the ocean. Some elements related to bottom topography are presented dealing with the preconditioning state of the chimney-eddy structure formation.