Abstract: The traditional connotation of the degree of exploration is a token of the seismic and drilling workload and proven degree of resources in an exploratory area. High and low degree of exploration is an important basis for dividing the exploration phase, but it is not always an accurate token of the exploration potential of an exploratory area. Practice shows that breakthroughs in exploration are often made in the old rich oil and gas areas with higher degree of exploration, these findings of oil and gas are frequently associated with the breakthrough in recognition. In view of this, a complete concept of exploration degree should be the traditional sense of workload plus the degree of recognition, furthermore the degree of recognition is the core connotation of exploration degree and it determines exploration and discovery. The proposal of the concept may be conducive to the further emancipation of thinking on the exploration of so-called exploratory areas in middle and late exploration stages. It may also be useful to achieve new breakthroughs in exploration for oil and gas in the old rich oil and gas areas with traditionally higher exploration degree, based on deepening recognition

Key words: degree of exploration, degree of recognition, proven degree, phase of exploration, potential of exploration, secondary exploration