An anticline is a structural trap formed by the folding of rock strata into an arch-like shape. The rock layers in an anticlinal trap were originally laid down horizontally and then earth movement caused it to fold into an arch-like shape called an anticline. ... Anticlinal shape.

What do anticlines typically form?

Anticlines form a structural trap that can capture pockets of hydrocarbons in the bend of the arch. Impermeable rock beds, often referred to as seals or cap rock, trap hydrocarbons in the anticline peak. This causes oil and natural gas to build up in the pore spaces of the reservoir rock at the core of the arch.

Are anticlines formed by compression?

Anticlines and synclines form in sections of the crust that are undergoing compression, places where the crust is being pushed together.