A series of multiheating-rated hydrocarbon expulsion simulation experiments were conducted to the source rock blocks and the characteristics of residual hydrocarbons were studied by using kinetic methods. The results indicate the content of residual hydrocarbon in marine mudstone reaches to the peak when Ro is around 1.0, and then decreases gradually; and the content of residual hydrocarbon in coal keeps steady after reaching its peak around Ro=1.0,. The content of residual hydrocarbon in coal is greater than that in marine mudstone due to its high adsorption and low expulsion rates. Maturation has high influence on the residual hydrocarbon in both marine mudstone and coal. Gases generated from marine source rocks in high-over maturity stages are mainly from the secondary cracking of the oil expulsed from or retained in the source rocks while the gases generated from dispersed residual hydrocarbons in coal account for majorities. The residual hydrocarbon in coal is mainly the accumulated hydrocarbon that is generated at the early stages while the residual hydrocarbon of marine mudstone decreases as the residual hydrocarbon generation potential. This study indicates that residual hydrocarbon content of marine mudstone is controlled by hydrocarbon generation and expulsion capabilities. The residual hydrocarbon and residual hydrocarbon generation potential of the simulated samples can compared with those of natural samples, which indicates the applicability of this method.