An examination of general geologic conditions in southwestern Oklahoma and along the southwest flank of the Wichita Mountain-Criner Hills axis indicates the probable presence of numerous stratigraphic-type petroleum reservoirs.

The major structural features of the area are: (1) the Wichita Mountain-Criner Hills uplift axis, (2) the Palo Duro basin, (3) the Marietta syncline, (4) the buried Granite ridge extending diagonally northwest-southeast across south-central Cotton County, Oklahoma, apparently connecting the Wichita Mountains and the Red River arch, and further, providing a definite separation between the Palo Duro basin and the Marietta syncline; and (5) the Red River arch.

The flanks of the major uplifts around the two prominent basin features should be promising territory in which to search for stratigraphic traps. The geologic section in this region contains numerous unconformities, ranging in extent and magnitude from major to minor. These converge, with attendant loss of formations, as they approach the axis of uplift features. This produces conditions of truncation, wedge-out, and onlap around the flanks of the major structural features.

Locally, abrupt lateral lithologic changes provide porosity barriers to create stratigraphic reservoirs. The old Walters field, in north-central Cotton County, Oklahoma, is an example of a trap created principally by this condition.

The magnitude of these lateral variations ranges from simple sand lenses to complete facies changes of sufficient vertical extent to affect several hundred feet of stratigraphic section.

Realization of the possible presence of these types of traps should provide added incentive for more intensive exploration of the area directed along lines of thought here suggested.

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