Abstract
Tarim is a huge hydrocarbon-bearing basin that underwent three developmental cycles:1.Presinian basement-forming cycle;2.Sinian-Early Permian cratonic basin cycle;3.Late Permian-Neogene foreland and inland basin cycle.The Manggar Depression formed in Caledonian is the main hydrocarbon-generating depression;the North Tarim uplift,the Central uplift and the slopes are the directional area for hydrocarbon migration and accumulation;the Ackule,Yakela-Shaxi nose-type uplifts formed in early Hercynian controlled the distribution of oil provinces.The important tectonic movement in late Her-cynian caused the complete secession of the sea water from the basin,and ended the deve-lopment cycle of the cratonic basin.Hercynian was the main period for the formation oflocal structures,the fault activity,and the generation and accumulation of hydrocar-bon.Himalayan was the principal stage for hydrocarbon generation and accumulation af-ter Hercynian,Triassic-Jurassic source rocks were buried deeply and matured,Cambrian-Ordovician and Permo-Carboniferous formations were buried to generate hydrocarbon again in this period.