Abstract: The time-frequency electromagnetic (TFEM) method, a new electromagnetic exploration technique, emerged at the beginning of this century, followed by its introduction and development in the hydrocarbon exploration field. It combines the advantages of both frequency-domain and time-domain electromagnetic techniques, offering a higher resolution and more accurate imaging of underground structures under complex geological conditions. It plays an important role in energy resources exploration. This paper presented the application of the TFEM method in the hydrocarbon exploration in the Niutuozhen uplift. The results indicate that the hydrocarbon reservoirs in this uplift exhibited low-resistance and high-polarization electromagnetic response from the upper layers. Conversely, they showed the high-resistance and high-polarization electromagnetic response from the internal. Based on the TFEM abnormal response patterns, five play fairways were delineated in the Niutuozhen uplift, which were basically consistent with known drilling data. This study provides a solid foundation for the hydrocarbon development and utilization in this area.