The Meso-Paleozoic basins in the Yangtze Plate experienced three episodes of transformation and deformation of different tectonic actions since the end of the Middle Triassic.The first episode occurred in the IndoChinese epoch from the end of the Middle Triassic to the early Middle Jurassic

when the SE-NW overthrusting of the Jiangnan-Xuefeng basement detachment body(with the induced S-N and E-W overthrusting)and the transformation of faulted depression with resilient relaxant trailing edge caused the progressively decreasing thrustingfolding deformation of the Meso-Paleozoic marine basins.The second episode occurred in the Yanshan epoch from the Later Jurassic to Early Cretaceous

when the basins were overprinted with simple shear caused by the NNE-trending horizontal strike-slip structures(represented by the Tan-Lu fracture zone)and deformation induced by pull-apart and faulting tectonic mechanisms.The last episode occurred in the Himalayan epoch from the Later Cretaceous to the Paleogene.when the Lower Yangtze area experienced transformation and deformation caused by S-N extension and detachment as well as domino type pulling-apart and faulting structures.These three episodes of transformation and deformation facilitated the early accumulation

later thermal evolution and re-distribution of marine oil and gas in the Yangtze Plate.