The observable concentration of the major deep gas accumulation areas in the NW German Basin is the result of focused secondary migration. Gas generated in several effective depocenters (regional structural lows) from Late Carboniferous source beds migrated into adjacent regional structural highs. The preferred migration paths are qualitatively predictable on the basis of present basin geometry. Optimal conditions for gas accumulations exist where the presently trapping regional highs have also been sites of favorable reservoir development. On‐going and future deep‐gas exploration efforts in the basin can be regarded as quite hope