Abstract: Yunnan province and its adjacent areas underwent strong modification from Proterozoic Jinning movement to Cenozoic Himalayan movement, followed by shaping complex geologic structures and sedimentary formnations. Started with evolution of plate tectonics, this paper presents a detailed research of the structural and sedimentary features and hydrocarbon-bearing properties in these areas, and suggests that there are 5 basins such as Chuxiong, Simao-Lanping, Nanpanjiang, Xichang-Kunming and Baoshan in east-west orientation distributed within Y unnan province, with total areas of sedimentary rocks of 16x10⁴km²,or 20x10⁴km² if adding adjacent prov incial areas. These basins are all long developed coincidence-like petroliferous basins with three sets of hydrocarbon-bearing formations composed of marine Sinian System-Lower Paleozoic, marine and continental-marine interactive Upper Paleozoic-Upper Triassic as well as continental Mesozoic-Cenozoic. Hence, these basins possess basic geologic conditions for forming oil-gas enriched province. Should commence workout of near-and long-term layout for petroleum exploration in Yunnan province and adjacent areas of southwest China,looking forward to have a breakthrough.

Key words: Yunnan province, hydrocarbon-bearing area, plate evolution, ancient sedimentary setting, geotectonic unit, hydrocarbonpotential