Abstract: This paper completely studies the prospects and directions for coal-formed hydrocarbons exploration of the Carboniferous- Permian in Zhoukou depression in the south of the North China basin. This study indicates that the coal measures are the most important source rocks within residual basins of the Carboniferous-Permian, with big thickness, good types and large potentials of hydrocarbon generation as well as multi-stage hydrocarbon-generation processes in which Indo-Chinese epoch and Himalayan epoch are the major periods of hydrocarbon generation. The trap types occur in form of sedimentary trap and fault-fold structural trap, and in good assemblage with hydrocarbon migration and accumulation. The control factors for hydrocarbon accumulation include effective source rock distribution, transporting system capability, effective assemblage between structure-shaping stage and hydrocarbon migration-accumulation stage and Paleogene structural framework. Also, it is recognized that the hydrocarbon accumulation type in this residual basin could probably be divided into self-generation and self-accumulation one, lower-generation and upper-accumulation one and buried hill one.

Key words: Zhoukou depression, Permo-Carboniferous, coal-formed oil, exploration