Reply to Discussion on ‘A knowledge database of hanging-wall traps that are dependent on fault-rock seal’, Geological Society, London, Special Publication, 496, 209–222, https://doi.org/10.1144/SP496-2018-157

Regarding the first issue highlighted by Power and Murray (2020), Bretan et al. (2020) presented a meta-analysis of 38 datasets to attempt to synthesise observations made independently by many different authors. As such, it is inappropriate to include all of the data for every example. References to the original publications are given where available, and we discussed the relative reliability of the various studies. As Power andMurray (2020) mention, confidentiality restrictions place limits on what can be published. Murray et al. (2020) acknowledged the same issue in their contribution to SP496: ‘In addition to the six case studies presented, more than 87 additional hydrocarbon accumulations from 36 additional fields have been analysed. The full details of these accumulations cannot be published because of confidentially restrictions’. Regarding the second issue, Power and Murray (2020) raise points of interpretation of the original analysis of Oseberg Sør by Fristad et al. (1997). This case study was only given extra prominence in our paper because it is an oft-quoted and groundbreaking example of the SGR method. Although the work is now nearly 25 years old we will endeavour to answer Power and Murray’s points.