Abstract: The principal concepts of tectonostratigraphic terranes including terrane geometry,kinetics and dynamics are discussed in detail and their current development are reviewed. Based on the principles of tectonostratigraphic terranes and petroleum geology,the following conclusions can be inferred;(1) Petroleum only occurs in certain types of terra nes.(2) Different terranes have different potential in petroleum generation.(3) There are different characteristics of geothermal field in different terranes .(4) Different terranes have different reservoir rocks.(5) There are different petroleum occurrence in di fferent terranes.