Abstract: The salt basins in the South Atlantic are characterized by rich hydrocarbon resources, same tectonic evolution history and similar stratigraphic features as well as very uneven distribution of oil and gas. This paper suggested from studies of the tectonic evolutions, strata, hydrocarbon accumulation conditions and petroleum distribution characteristics that these basins had experienced three evolution stages of rifting, transition and passive continental margin, with corresponding development of pre-salt, salt and post-salt sequences. And the pre-salt and post-salt source rocks, pre-salt and post-salt carbonate rocks and post-salt clastic rocks as reservoir rocks formed three sets of hydrocarbon accumulation combinations. The development of post-salt turbidite sand reservoir and the maturity of post-salt source rocks controlled the hydrocarbon enrichment of the post-salt combination, which is found in Lower Congo-Congo Fan basin; the oil-gas migration channels and the development of post-salt reservoir rocks controlled the hydrocarbon enrichment of the pre-salt to post-salt combination, which appears in Campos basin; and the rift basin scale, basement uplift and salt cap rock controlled the pre-salt combination, which occurs in Santos basin. Hence, the Kwanza basin’s pre-salt sequence, the Santos basin’s and the Campos basin’s pre-salt carbonate rocks in their outside high-swell zones and middle low-swell zones as well as the post-salt carbonate rock sequences in extending areas of each salt basin are all new domains with great exploration potentials