Abstract: Offshore saline aquifer CO₂ storage is an effective approach for reducing carbon emissions and offers technical support for the sustainable development of coastal regions within the framework of carbon neutrality. The Yantai Depression in the South Yellow Sea Basin aligns well with the distribution of coastal carbon sources, making it a promising area for potential CO₂ storage. This study analyzes the geological conditions for CO₂ storage in the Yantai Depression of the basin. A stratigraphic volume model was established, and constraint calculations were applied to predict the storage potential of the Cenozoic saline aquifers, followed by an evaluation of CO₂ storage prospects in the region. The results show that the Yantai Depression, which comprises a series of NE-trending graben and half-graben depressions, contains four carbon storage-caprock assemblages in the Cenozoic. The region exhibits strong crustal stability, a low geothermal gradient, and low heat flow, characteristic of a "cold basin." These factors contribute to favorable geological conditions for CO₂ storage. The storage potential of CO₂ in the 800～3 200 m deep saline aquifers of the Yantai Depression averages 99 Gt, indicating a substan tial storage capacity. Structurally, the Cenozoic strata of the Yantai Depression is defined by five types of traps: thrust anticlines, gravity-sliding anticlines, compressive anticlines, faulted anticlines, and fault blocks. Four favorable storage zones have been identified, highlighting the strong geological potential for CO₂ sequestration. These findings provide a scientific basis for future site selection studies for offshore CO₂ geological storage.