Yes this is definitely a theory already. The volcanic vents under the ocean particularly seem promising. I'm nowhere near qualified to even try to explain it without making certain errors, so I don't want to even try, rather I'll recommend someone who is qualified (and good at teaching).

If you're interested in this stuff, I can highly recommend Robert M. Hazen. He has an amazing Great Course called "The Origin and Evolution of Earth: From the Big Bang to the Future of Human Existence" that covers stuff in depth. There's a shorter one called "Origins of Life" as well but I haven't listened to that. My impression is that it's an abridged version of the former.

Hazen also wrote a book called "The Story of Earth: The First 4.5 Billion Years, from Stardust to Living Planet" which covers the same material as the course (but in book form, obviously) and is really good. I liked the lecture-style of the course better personally, but they're both excellent resources if you're interested in this stuff.

My only regret is that they're about 10 years old at this point. If anyone knows what has changed in the last decade in the field, I'd be fascinated to know.