Abstract: Coal, terrestrial organic-rich source rock as well as marine and lacustrine sapropelic source rock are three type of source rocks in geologic bodies, which are characterized by organic matters in source rock significanly dominated by higher plants, being mainly typeⅢ kerogen, and composed of oilprone hydrogen-rich macerals (vitrinite, sapropelic maceral and super-micro liptinite) which control the oil potential and hydrogen poor macerals with no oil potential. Considering the complicated composition and structure of coal and terrestrial organic - rich source rocks, progressive (maceral, submaceral and supermaceral in turn) studies must be undertaken using fluorescent micrscope analysis technique first, combined with reflection and transmission electronic microscope analysis technique, to obtain an accu­rate evaluation of the source rock, Hydrogen-rich components of Jurassic coaly source rocks in Xinjiang are significanly dominated by vitrinite (certain amounts of super-microliptinite exist) and liptinite is comparatively abundant in dull shale. Therefore its oil potential cannot be neglected.

Key words: Coal, Terrestrial organic-rich source rock, Organic petrology, Xinjiang, Jurassic