The radioactive heat production rate is one of the main thermal properties of rock, and plays an important role in the study of the thermal regime of sedimentary basins, and in turn significantly affects the tectonic evolution and the hydrocarbon accumulation in the basins. In contrast to the traditional chemical analysis, only GR logging data is required in the natural gamma logging (GR)- heat production rate (A) method to calculate the heat generation. A total of 6094 heat production rates of sedimentary layers were calculated from the GR logging data of 20 main wells in different areas of the Tarim basin. GR- A profile of representative boreholes and a stratigraphic heat generation column in the Tarim basin were presented, and the contribution of radioactive heat generation of sedimentary layers to the surface heat flow was estimated. The results show that the mean heat generation rate of the sedimentary layers in the Tarim basin is 1. 17±0. 336 μW/m3. Lithology is the factor controlling the heat generation rate. The heat generation in mudstone, sandstone, dolomite and limestone is 1. 96±0. 318 μW/m3, 0. 99±0. 264 μW/m3, 0. 44±0. 362 μW/m3 and 0. 36±0. 408 μW/m3, respectively. It is estimated that the sedimentary layers contribute 9. 36 mW/m2 i. e. about 21% to the surface heat flow, and approximately 3. 3 ℃/km to the geothermal gradient. The radioactive heat generation is an important element of the geothermal fields in the ‘cold’ Tarim basin with its low heat flow.