In recent years, shale gas has become a hot field of global unconventional natural gas and has attracted attentions of many countries and oil companies. However, there are no evaluation methods and criterions of regional selection for marine shale gas in South China. Based on geological background and controlling factors of shale gas accumulation, the paper discussed the ideas and methods of shale gas favorable targets evaluation in the southern China through analogical study of the shale gas accumulation conditions between South China and America. Since the shale age is old and has high thermal evolution degree, the preservation condition is poor and the structure condition and surface condition is complex in South China. Evaluation systems and criterions of regional selection of marine shale gas in South China should take the preservation conditions as the core while considering the geological evaluation and economic evaluation at the same time. By using the evaluation methods to guide the exploration, well PengyeHF-1 was drilled with a strategic breakthrough in SINOPEC marine shale gas exploration.