There are more than 50 basins in northeastern China with different sizes. The relatively large basins include Songliao Basin, Erlian Basin, Hailar Basin and 5 cross-border basins. The potential of oil and gas resources in Northeast China is huge, the oil and gas reserves increase significantly, but there still exists the difficulty in continuous increasing of oil and gas production and stability of production. Based on the analysis of the evolution of the tectonic and sedimentary paleogeography in Northeast China, this paper summarizes the differential development characteristics of the reservoirs under the synergetic action of tectonics and sedimentation in Northeast China. Combined with the practice of exploration, aimed at solving the existing problems in oil and gas exploration and focusing on the thought of new area and new strata, the authors put forward the directions of oil and gas exploration in northeastern China, which include the fine exploration of middle and shallow oil and gas in the central depression of Songliao Basin, the exploration of deep volcanic hydrocarbon exploration in the south of Songliao Basin, western slope and north end of Songliao Basin oil and gas, the exploration of Paleozoic oil and gas in Northeast China, the exploration of oil and gas in the Dasanjiang Basin, and the exploration of shale oil and oil shale resources in northeastern China. These suggests provide a scientific basis for the future exploration and deployment of oil and gas resources in Northeast China.