Abstract
The article provides a brief analysis of the tectonic structure of the Alakol depression, which suggests a thrust overlap of oil and gas source strata in the ancient Alakol depression by the modern mountain system and expands the promising area for oil and gas exploration. The tectonic structure of the Alakol depression is characterized based on the Paleozoic surface map compiled from seismic data. Due to the poor knowledge of the oil and gas potential of sedimentary complexes of the Alakol depression, one can judge with some degree of conditionality about the prospects of their oil and gas potential. The high intensity of the tectonic regime that affected the structural and formation complexes is associated with horsts and grabens, which affected the lithological and paleogeographic conditions of rock formation. Therefore, the scale of their oil potential is different and is determined by the type and concentration of organic matter. The scale of sea penetration and the existing lake-bog conditions of rock formation influencing the accumulated strata of the geological section with humic organic matter testifies to their prospects of oil and gas potential.