Over the last decade, more oil and gas was discovered in stratigraphic traps than any other trap type, and excelling in stratigraphic trap exploration is now the key to top quartile exploration performance. Historically, hydrocarbon prospects in clastic stratigraphic traps have been considered difficult to identify and high risk to explore, but success rates have been improving with better geological models and use of geophysical direct hydrocarbon indicators (DHIs). Westwood analyzed stratigraphic trap exploration between 2008 and 2019 in 66 basins and in 113 different plays. It found that the proportion of exploration targets reported as involving stratigraphic traps increased from 12% in 2008 to 30% in 2019. Commercial success rates (CSRs) also have increased, with the average CSR of 50% achieved between 2017 and 2019, double that of the previous nine years. Stratigraphic traps had a larger average discovery size of 280 MMboe, and a lower drilling finding cost of 0.5 $/boe, compared to other trap types during this period. The evidence shows they are not higher risk than other traps, contrary to many explorers’ preconceptions.

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