The influence of oxidant addition on soot formation is investigated experimentally with ethylene, propane and mixture fuel co-flow diffusion flames. Oxidant addition into fuel shows the increase of integrated soot volume fractions for ethylene, ethylene/ethane and ethylene/methane mixture flames. However, the increase of integrated soot volume fraction with oxidant addition was not significant for propane and ethylene/propane mixture flames. This discrepancy is explained with $C_2;and;C_3$ chemistry at the early stage of soot formation process. The oxidant addition increases the concentration of $C_3H_3$ in the soot formation region, and therefore, enhances soot formation process. A new soot formation rate model that includes both dilution effect and chemical effect of oxygen is suggested to interpret the increase of integrated soot volume fractions with oxidant addition into ethylene. Also, the role of adiabatic flame temperature for the chemical effect of oxygen addition into fuel was reviewed. The influence of oxidant or diluent addition into fuel on soot formation process are the fuel dilution effect, the adiabatic flame temperature altering effect and/or the chemical effect of oxygen. Their relative importance could change with fuel structure and adiabatic flame temperature.