The results of long-terrn research on mapping of oil and gas bearing sites on traditional and non-traditional sites (mine fields, shelf zones, astroblems) allowed to create a database of system criteria for the search technology of structural thermo-atmo-hydrological and geochemical research, where for the first time in the search practice hydrogen was used as the main constituent element of hydrocarbons. The analysis of the results of the hydrogen concentration distribution data made it possible to isolate anomalous values both in areas and in productive wells (in the absence of background ones) and to conduct detailed area large-scale studies with the purpose of area mapping for prospecting.