Abstract: Vertical seismic profiling is a new exploration method. It may be used to resolve some complicated geophysical problems which can't be resolved by surface seismic exploration, and has good perspective of application.According to the VSP works carried out under different technological requirements and different seismogeological conditions, in this paper we discuss the problems of generation and reception of seismic waves, and detection of thin layers and faults in VSP works. We obtain the following ideas:1. within the three types of seismic sources which we have used, the vibrators and explosions in shallow waters can satisfactorily preserve the identity of wave generation onditions;2. The downhole detector with small outer diameter can be in common use, and can minimize not only the resistance of the fluid when it is letting down along the wall of the borehole, but also the noise lever of records when the fluid is welling up;3. VSP data have also proved that the dominant frequency of composite reflections from the top and the bottom of a thin layer is usually greater than that of incident waves;4. The obvious attenuation of high frequency component of direct waves penetrated the fault, can be used as an indication of the presence of fault.