Hydrocarbons are discovered from compressional structural traps in the Salt Range/Potwar Plateau. Interpretation of industry seismic profiles suggests thin-skinned deformation of platform strata above a decollement in the Eo-Cambrian evaporates. Structural studies show the development of traps as fold-and-thrust structures of variable geometries and shortening in the system. Structural analyses with balanced cross-sections shows the presence of fault-related folds, pop-ups, and triangle zones, all with limited calculated shortening as favourable traps. Fault analysis with a stratigraphic separation diagram shows that structures with blind faults and shortening up-to 45 km 2 km, such as the triangle zones, may serve as most productive prospects. Whereas, the emergent thrusts, such as the Khairi-Murat thrust, with shortening > 10 km are most likely tend to breach a trap, unless a favorable geometry (duplex, piggy-back thrusts) for the entrapment of hydrocarbons is present. Deformation is interpreted to have occurred during the last 8 Ma in the Salt Range/Potwar. Plateau. The timing of development of the discovered oil-fields is calculated as 3.5 to 1.8 Ma. This paper is an attempt to review structural geometries and kinematics of oil-field structures combined with sedimentation and magnetostratigraphy for hydrocarbon exploration in the Salt Range/Potwar Plateau.