In the long geological history,the marine strata in southern China have experienced polycyclic tectonic movement and intensive late reformation,and the hydrocarbon generation,migration,accumulation,preservation and destruction in Mesozoic and Paleozoic have experienced multi-stage phasic development and evolution.Areas with relatively stable tectonic settings and well preservation conditions,such as Sichuan basin,are characterized by multiple sources,early accumulation,oil-gas conversion,and late finalization;the Middle and Lower Yangtze areas overlain by Mesozoic and Cenozoic strata are characterized by secondary hydrocarbon generation and late reservoiring; while the areas with outcropping carbonates,such as western Hunan and Hubei and Yunnan-Guangxi-Guizhou regions,are characterized by early hydrocarbon generation and late destruction and reformation.According to early or late hydrocarbon generation and whether the original sealing systems have been broken in the course of primary hydrocarbon accumulation through to the finalization of the oil and gas pools,the reservoiring models of petroleum in marine strata in southern China can be divided into three types: including primary,secondary and regeneration types.Based on the reservoiring conditions and characterstics in different areas,exploration of marine strata in southern China should be carried out in three different levels: key exploration should be carried out in Sichuan basin,try by all measures to get breakthroughs in northwestern Guizhou,southern Jianghan plain in Middle Yangtze area and Jurong-Hai'an regions in Lower Yangtze area,and regional reconnaissance should be carried out in southern Guizhou,Yunnan-Guangxi and western Hunan and Hubei regions.
