Abstract: Destruction of hydrocarbon reservoirs is an inevitable process due to temporal and dynamic variability inherited in any kind of hydrocarbon accumulation which is susceptible to certain geologic factors in the geologic time．According to the history of tectonic evolution and reservoir formation in the western Qaidam basin，the period from late Pliocene to Quaternary is responsible for the destruction of primary reservoir and the formation of secondary reservoir，There are many types of oil and gas shows on the ground，such as oil sand，pitchy，paraffin，mud volcano and oil hillock．Analysis on geological factors causing the destruction of hydrocarbon reservoirs shows that fault movement，hydrocarbon reservoir uplift and abnormally high pressure are the main types for the destruction of hydrocarbon reservoirs．Furthermore，the destruction of hydrocarbon reservoirs is a synthetic action by fault movement and hydrocarbon reservoir uplift，The study played certain role in guiding oil-gas exploration work in the western Qaidam.