The Songliao basin is not only one of the continental sedimentary basins with the richest oil and gas resources discovered in the world, but also rich in medium and low temperature geothermal resources. It is the main block of current oil and gas exploration and geothermal exploration. Based on a large number of newly added temperature measurement data in the past 10 years, and basedon 571 borehole temperature measurement data and more than 150 thermal physical parameters, we studied the current geothermal gradient and geothermal distribution characteristics of the Songliao basin. The results showed that the geothermal gradient of the Songliao basin is between 19~55 ℃/km, with an average of 41. 4 ℃/km, and the current earth heat flow is between 38. 9~111. 2 mW/m 2, with an average of 78. 9 mW/m 2. These new data confirm that the Songliao basin has a relatively high heat flow and shares similar geothermal regime with other Meso- Cenozoic rift basins in the world. Both the geothermal gradient and heat flow in the central part of the basin are high. The temperature of the bottom interface of the Nenjiang Formation is about 15~88℃, with an average of 48. 6℃; the temperature of the bottom interface of the Yaojia Formation is 18~95℃, with an average of 53℃; the temperature of the bottom interface of the Qingshankou Formation is 25～128℃, with an average of 64℃; the temperature of the bottom interface of the fourth section of the Quantou Formation is 26~131℃, with an average value of 67℃. In addition, the main controlling factors of temperature distribution in the Songliao basin were analyzed. The current temperature distribution is mainly affected by many factors such as the dynamic background of basin formation, rock thermophysical properties, and magmatism. The Songliao basin has experienced strong regional extension and lithosphere thinning, and developed abundant basement faults and crustal faults. The deep mantle hot material migrated to the shallow part along the basement fault, resulting in high surface heat flow.