Abstract: The central Tarim uplift resulted from a normal fault during the Early Palaeozoic extension. The Cambrian and Ordovician periods are important phases for the formation of source rocks. The tectonic inversion gave rise to the formation of the uplift during the latest Early Ordovician to the latest Late Ordovician. During the latest Devonian,the central Tarim uplift came into being,the pre-existing oil pools were subjected to the failure,and the asphaltic sandstones were well developed. The late Early Permian magmatic activities led not only to the further destruction of the early geological structures and oil pools,but also to the formation of new structures favourable for the accumulation of newly-generated oil and gas. The middle Caledonian and early Hercynian orogenies played an important part in the accumulation and preservation of the Silurian strata in which abundant oil pools are hosted.