The �fractured basement play' remains to be one of the most �extensive underexplored' targets for hydrocarbon exploration. Naturally fractured basement reservoirs are a global phenomenon and are often serendipitous discoveries. Despite this, these plays have proven their significance to the global geoscience community with the discovery of major hydrocarbon basement accumulations in Vietnam, China, the U.K. and Yemen. Commercial production of hydrocarbons from fractured basement is proven in 25 countries but little is known about the global variability of producing fractured basement fields. This paper synthesizes attributes of this play type semi-quantitively based on the systematic analysis of relevant data in the IHS Markit (IHSM) International E&P Database and the IHSM US Enerdeq Browser. The analysis shows that hydrocarbon in basement reservoir discoveries exist in just 29 countries. Globally over 640 fields have been discovered, most (260 fields) are in the Far East with China hosting the majority (>160 fields). Current volumetric estimates suggest that 0.001 or 15, 000 million (MM) barrels of oil equivalent (boe) of the total global estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) (approx. 1, 177, 500 billion boe) are stored in fractured basement. The bulk of hydrocarbon recoverable resources are currently located in Southeast Asia (approx. 4, 500 MMboe), the majority of which are situated in Vietnam. Components of the basement petroleum system resemble conventional plays. Source and top seal are typically the same lithology, mostly organic rich shale, claystone, or marl, onlapping and draping the reservoir. Because there is no source underneath the reservoir, lateral or downward charge is invoked. Structures are commonly fault blocks or buried hills. The reservoir is mostly provided by brittle magmatic intrusive rocks and the most commonly encountered lithology is granite, with porosity and permeability associated with fractures. These can be solution enlarged. Other common reservoir types include effusive magmatic (basalt, tuff) or metamorphic rocks such as gneiss, quartzite or marble; less common are pelitic metamorphic rocks. More than three thousand wells have targeted the basement so far. Most are drilled in Russia and China. Reported well rates vary between 10 bo/d to 30, 000 bo/d and this range most likely reflects fracture intensity and connectivity. The synthesis presented here suggests that the play has significant potential and therefore warrants dedicated exploration and revisiting producing assets to unlock its full capacity. © 2020