An analysis of how faulting activities in different evolution stages control the hydrocarbon distribution and accumulation is carried out based on a summarization of the basic features of different faulted zones in the Tazhong area

Tarim Basin.The result shows that faults in the Tazhong area were most active during the Mid-Late Caledonian

softened during the Hercynian

and weak during the late Himalaya.It also indicates that the major fault zones are significantly different in the time and stages of activity

control on the formation and deformation of sedimentary formations and stratigraphic contact relationships between the upper and lower layers.The diffe-rences in hydrocarbon accumulation among different oil/gas-bearing faulted zones are closely related with the evolutionary stages of the faults

as being embodied in the differential control of faults at four evolutionary stages on hydrocarbon accumulation

namely syn-sedimentary fault

post-sedimentary fault

peak-hydrocarbon-generation-stage fault and post-hydrocarbon-accumulation fault.