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An anticline trap is created by the upfolding of rocks, similar to an arch. Oil moves to the highest point in this arch's dome and then comes to rest (Sun Machinery). In order for this trap to be effective, there needs to be a rock above the dome in order to seal the oil in place (The Paleontological). This type of structural trap was first discovered by early geologists in the late nineteenth century, laying the foundation of the modern petroleum industry (University of Toronto). Anticline traps are the most common structural traps in the world. About eighty percent of the world's petroleum can be found in anticline traps. The majority of anticline traps are produced by sideward pressure, but can also occur from the compacting of sediments. The anticline traps can be filled partially or completely with oil. When it is filled completely with oil, this is known as their spill plane (Encyclopedia Britannica).
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