Deep-water hydrocarbon in passive continental margins is one of the hot and bright spots of global petroleum exploration. There are two types of passive continental margins, i.e. open sea, and marginal sea. The tectonic evolution of passive continental margin had experienced pre-rift stage, syn-rift stage and passive continental margin stage. Based on the current situation of exploration and exploitation, and the latest oil and gas fields database of petroliferous basins in global deep-water area at passive continental margin, the genetic models of source rocks in two types of passive continental margins, and the different tectonic evolution stages were summarized. At open passive continental margin, large scale restricted lakes developed in deep-water area during syn-rift stage, oil-productive lacustrine black argillutite deposited regionally, being the major source rocks. At passive continental margins of marginal sea, larger scale river/wave dominated deltas developed in deep-water area during syn-rift stage, the major source rocks were transitional facies of argillutite and coal strata, controlling the gas distribution. During passive continental margin stage, continuous transgression happened in basins at passive continental margins, organic-rich marine argillutite deposited in anaerobic environment under high-water level system, forming major source rocks.