As a result of the studies carried out within the study area, four areas of stable subsidence (basin) were identified during the entire period of the formation of the plate cover: Karkinitsky, Indolo-Kubansky, East Kubansky and Terek-Caspian. Each of the basins is characterized by a unique evolution, which manifests itself in differences in the tectonic regime and sedimentation rates. This determined the features of the geological structure of the basins, the sources of generation within them and the critical moment characterizing the process of generation - migration - accumulation of hydrocarbons in the system. Overcoming the critical moment occurs in the centers of hydrocarbon generation, when more than 50% of hydrocarbons emigrated from the source rock and accumulated in traps. As a rule, the sources are confined to the most submerged parts of the sedimentary basin, in which the deposits are in more severe thermobaric conditions. Keywords: sedimentary basin; hydrocarbon system; generation source; plate cover; tectonic regime; sedimentation rate; basin analysis.