The accidental discovery of high- production gas flow from the unfractured coal measures in well Shuiye 1 shows that the Lower Carboniferous Xiangbai Formation in Weining and its adjacent areas in northwest Guizhou may become a new formation of coal measures gas (CMG) exploration in some areas of the Southwest China. However, the previous geological survey of CMG for the formation in this area is insufficient, there are some differences in the understanding of CMG resources and the prospect spots, and the characteristics of CMG are not considered enough. Methods: In view of this, based on the recent geological survey and the previous basic geological research, the geological conditions and exploration prospect of CMG gas in the Xiangbai Formation in Weining and its adjacent areas are discussed. Results:The results show that the Xiangbai formation in Weining area is a typical set of thin- interbedded coal measures, and has strong CMG display in the lower member of the formation formed in tidal flat and lagoon facies, but the coal measures reservoirs are generally characterized by low porosity and low permeability. It is found that with the increase of buried depth, there is a “critical depth” for the adsorbed gas volume of the reservoirs. Once exceeding this depth, the adsorbed methane volume of coal measures shale rapidly increases, and that of coal seams begins to reduce, but its free gas volume in coal seams may increase, resulting in a significant increase in total gas volume. Conclusions: Based on the comprehensive analysis, it is suggested that the Xiangbiao Formation in Weining area may have the value of comprehensive CMG development when the burial depth is more than 1500 m. Six deep synclines, including the Longjie, Yangchang, Haigaidi, Erdu, Tianxingdong and Yulong ones, are the key structural units for further CMG exploration in Xiangbai formation, and the exploration prospect could be extended to some deep synclines in the east, such as Gemudi, Qinglong and Langdai ones. At the same time, the influence of thrust nappe structure on the preservation of CMG in the formation deserves high attention. Based on the above analysis, the five suggestions on the strategic area selection of CMG exploration in the Xiangbai formation are put forward in principle.