Compared with traditional culture-dependent methods, culture-independent techniques based on functional genes for detecting oil and gas indicating microorganisms are more rapid, stable and specific, thereby suitable for commercial applications. In this study, the authors chose Chen 22 wells zone in Shaojia subsag of Zhanhua SAG as a model system. Based on the analyses of the soil samples collected from point, linear and areal surveys, the authors detected that the anomalies of gene abundance were perfectly consistent with the presence of the oil and gas reservoirs. Therefore, microbial molecular prospecting technique for oil and gas is very promising in the future.