Abstract: Fluvial deposits are well developed in the lower member of Neogene Minghuazhen Formation in the Shaleitian area, Bohai Sea, which are perceived as the main targets of hydrocarbon exploration for shallow-buried reservoirs in the offshore Bohai Bay Basin. Combined with seismic geomorphological approach and satellites photographs of modern fluvial systems, straight river, low-to medium-sinuosity meandering river (sinuosity 1.2-1.8) and braided river can be well recognized from several typical slices in the study area. And the coexistence of braided and meandering rivers can be well interpreted during the deposition of the upper submember of the Lower Minghuazhen Member. According to the reconstruction of paleoslope gradient, the slope gradients of straight and meandering rivers are relatively lower, while they are particularly larger in braided rivers on a gentle-dipping slope. Within the paleodischarge estimation from the geomorphology-hydraulics relation, the bankfull discharge of braided rivers can reach 3 942 m³/s, while meandering rivers can be as low as 145 m³/s. The bankfull discharges of straight rivers are usually less than 300 m³/s. The discrimination of fluvial patterns based on slope gradient and discharge will enhance the understanding of different fluvial patterns, and will provide an important guidance of the geomorphological characteristics of multiple fluvial patterns, the coexistence of braided and meandering rivers and spatial distribution of composite fluvial sandbodies.