This list is based on the CIA World Factbook (when no citation is given). [1] or other authoritative third-party sources (as cited). Based on data from EIA, at the start of 2021, proven gas reserves were dominated by three countries: Iran, Russia, and Qatar.
There is some disagreement on which country has the largest proven gas reserves. Sources that consider that Russia has by far the largest proven reserves include the US CIA (47600 cubic kilometers), [2] the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) (49000 km3), [3] and OPEC (48810 km3). [4] However, BP credits Russia with only 32900 km3, [5] which would place it in second place, slightly behind Iran (33100 to 33800 km3, depending on the source).
Due to constant announcements of shale gas recoverable reserves, as well as drilling in Central Asia, South America and Africa, deepwater drilling, estimates are undergoing frequent updates, mostly increasing. Since 2000, some countries, notably the US and Canada, have seen large increases in proved gas reserves due to development of shale gas, but shale gas deposits in most countries are yet to be added to reserve calculations.
* indicates "Natural gas in COUNTRY or TERRITORY" or "Natural resources of COUNTRY or TERRITORY" links.
Country | U.S. EIA (2021) [6] | OPEC (start of 2018) [7] | BP (end of 2020) [8] | Production km3/year (2021) [9] | Years of production in reserve [10] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Russia * | 47,800 | 50,617 | 37,400 | 701.55 | 68.1 |
Iran * | 34,000 | 33,810 | 32,100 | 248.3 | 140 |
Qatar * | 23,900 | 23,861 | 24,700 | 169.0 | 141 |
United States * | 17,710 [11] | 9,067 | 12,600 | 977.44 | 18.1 |
Turkmenistan * | 10,000 | 9,838 | 13,600 | 87.02 | 100 |
Saudi Arabia * | 9,430 | 8,715 | 6,000 | 115.6 | 81.6 |
China * | 6,650 | 2,934 | 8,400 | 212.0 | 31.4 |
United Arab Emirates * | 6,090 | 6,091 | 5,900 | 63.77 | 95.5 |
Venezuela * | 6,000 | 5,707 | 6,300 | 15.9 | 400 |
Nigeria * | 5,750 | 5,627 | 5,500 | 44.40 | 130 |
Algeria * | 4,500 | 4,504 | 2,300 | 102.1 | 44.1 |
Iraq * | 3,740 | 3,744 | 3,500 | 10.7 | 350 |
Australia * | 3,230 | 3,173 | 2,400 | 147.1 | 22 |
Mozambique * | 3,000 | 5.35 | 600 | ||
Kazakhstan * | 2,400 | 1,898 | 2,300 | 20.0 | 120 |
Canada * | 2,100 | 2,059 | 2,400 | 182.2 | 12 |
Azerbaijan * | 2,000 | 1,227 | 2,500 | 31.38 | 60 |
Uzbekistan * | 1,800 | 1,564 | 800 | 49.70 | 36 |
Egypt * | 1,800 | 2,221 | 2,100 | 69.43 | 26 |
Kuwait * | 1,800 | 1,784 | 1,700 | 21.3 | 85 |
Norway * | 1,600 | 2,314 | 1,400 | 115.1 | 14 |
Libya | 1,500 | 1,505 | 1,400 | 14.6 | 100 |
India * | 1,400 | 1,289 | 1,300 | 32.3 | 43 |
Malaysia * | 1,200 | 2,909 | 900 | 70.99 | 17 |
Ukraine * | 1,100 | 304 | 1,100 | 18.9 | 58 |
Indonesia * | 1,000 | 2,866 | 1,300 | 58.96 | 20 |
Senegal | 1,000 | ||||
Turkey * | 710 | 0.40 | 8 | ||
Vietnam * | 710 | 203 | 600 | 7.02 | 100 |
Oman * | 650 | 884 | 700 | 39.19 | 17 |
Myanmar * | 650 | 273 | 400 | 16.3 | 40 |
Pakistan * | 590 | 757 | 400 | 33.39 | 18 |
Yemen * | 480 | 300 | 0.12 | 4,000 | |
Argentina * | 400 | 381 | 400 | 40.44 | 10 |
Brazil * | 370 | 325 | 300 | 23.8 | 16 |
Angola * | 340 | 422 | 5.86 | 58 | |
Peru * | 310 | 513 | 261 | 12 | 26 |
Trinidad and Tobago * | 310 | 433 | 290 | 25.7 | 12 |
Bolivia * | 310 | 310 | 213 | 15.5 | 20 |
Congo * | 300 | 111 | 0.42 | 700 | |
Brunei * | 260 | 252 | 222 | 11.4 | 23 |
Syria * | 240 | 300 | 269 | 3.26 | 74 |
Papua New Guinea * | 180 | 163 | 11.4 | 16 | |
Mexico | 180 | 146 | 178 | 23.9 | 7.5 |
United Kingdom * | 180 | 269 | 187 | 32.48 | 5.5 |
Israel * | 180 | 589 | 17.7 | 10 | |
Thailand * | 140 | 180 | 143 | 36.36 | 3.9 |
Equatorial Guinea * | 140 | 145 | 5.83 | 24 | |
Cameroon * | 140 | 152 | 2.3 | 61 | |
Netherlands * | 130 | 804 | 130 | 21.6 | 6.0 |
Bangladesh * | 130 | 346 | 110 | 23.9 | 5.4 |
Romania * | 100 | 105 | 78 | 9.32 | 10 |
Philippines * | 99 | 3 | 10 | ||
Chile * | 99 | 5.30 | 1.4 | 71 | |
Poland * | 91 | 56.3 | 72.2 | 5.64 | 16 |
Colombia * | 88 | 104 | 86 | 11.4 | 7.7 |
Bahrain * | 82 | 64.8 | 18.6 | 2.8 | |
Sudan * | 80 | 0 | - | ||
Cuba * | 71 | 0.91 | 78 | ||
Tunisia * | 65 | 1.4 | 46 | ||
Namibia * | 62 | 0 | - | ||
Rwanda * | 60 | 0.06 | 1,000 | ||
Afghanistan * | 51 | 0.079 | 650 | ||
Serbia * | 48 | 0.40 | 120 | ||
Italy * | 45 | 27.1 | 100 | 3.20 | 14 |
New Zealand * | 31 | 4.13 | 7.5 | ||
Ivory Coast * | 30 | 2.5 | 10 | ||
Mauritania * | 30 | 0 | - | ||
Denmark * | 30 | 73.9 | 100 | 1.2 | 20 |
Gabon * | 30 | 25.5 | 0.45 | 70 | |
Croatia | 30 | 0.82 | 40 | ||
Ethiopia * | 30 | 0 | - | ||
Germany | 20 | 39.6 | 100 | 4.98 | 4 |
Ghana | 20 | 2.92 | 7 | ||
Japan * | 20 | 2.4 | 8 | ||
Moldova | - | 0.006 (2019) | 3,333 | ||
Slovakia | 10 | 0.062 | 200 | ||
Uganda | 10 | 0 | - | ||
Ecuador | 10 | 5.4 | 0.31 | 30 | |
Ireland * | 10 | 1.6 | 6 | ||
Georgia | 8 | 8.5 | 0.01 | 800 | |
South Korea * | 8 | 0.05 | 200 | ||
France | 8 | 0.02 | 400 | ||
Austria | 6 | 1.2 | 5 | ||
Tanzania * | 6 | 1.3 | 5 | ||
Taiwan * | 6 | 0.091 | 70 | ||
Jordan * | 6 | 0.19 | 30 | ||
Bulgaria | 6 | 0.037 | 200 | ||
Somalia * | 6 | 0 | - | ||
Tajikistan * | 6 | 0.02 | 300 | ||
Kyrgyzstan | 6 | 0.02 | 300 | ||
Albania | 6 | 0.059 | 100 | ||
South Africa * | - | 1.1 | 2.7 | ||
Czech Republic | 3 | 0.20 | 20 | ||
Belarus * | 3 | 0.074 | 40 | ||
Hungary * | 3 | 1.5 | 2 | ||
Spain | 2.55 | 0.048 | 53 | ||
Morocco * | 1.44 | 474 | 0.12 | 12 | |
Benin | 1.13 | 0 | - | ||
DR Congo | 0.99 | 0 | - | ||
Greece | 0.99 | 0.06 | 200 | ||
Barbados | 0.11 | 0.01 | 10 | ||
Armenia * | 0 | 18.0 | |||
World | 205,500 (2020) | 4,083.09 | 50.33 |
Comparison of proven natural gas reserves from different sources (cubic kilometers, as of 31 December 2014/1 January 2015)
Source | Canada | Iran | Russia | Saudi Arabia | United States | Venezuela |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BP [12] | 2,000 | 34,000 | 32,800 | 8,200 | 9,800 | 5,600 |
OPEC [13] | 2,028 | 34,020 | 49,541 | 8,489 | 9,580 | 5,617 |
U.S. Energy Information Administration [14] | 2,535 | 42,426 | 59,619 | 10,393 | 10,441 | 6,960 |
Natural gas is a naturally occurring mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons consisting primarily of methane (97%) in addition to various smaller amounts of other higher alkanes. Low levels of trace gases like carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide, and helium are also usually present. Methane is colorless and odorless, and the second largest greenhouse gas contributor to global climate change after carbon dioxide. Because natural gas is odorless, odorizers such as mercaptan are commonly added to it for safety so that leaks can be readily detected.
Petroleum or crude oil, also referred to as simply oil, is a naturally occurring yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons, and is found in geological formations. The name petroleum covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crude oil and petroleum products that consist of refined crude oil.
Peak oil is the theorized point in time when the maximum rate of global oil production will occur, after which oil production will begin an irreversible decline. The primary concern of peak oil is that global transportation heavily relies upon the use of gasoline and diesel fuel. Switching transportation to electric vehicles, biofuels, or more fuel-efficient forms of travel may help reduce oil demand.
Iran possesses significant energy reserves, holding the position of the world's third-largest in proved oil reserves and the second-largest in natural gas reserves as of 2021. At the conclusion of the same year, Iran's share comprised 24% of the oil reserves in the Middle East and 12% of the worldwide total.
Peak gas is the point in time when the maximum global natural gas production rate will be reached, after which the rate of production will enter its terminal decline. Although demand is peaking in the United States and Europe, it continues to rise globally due to consumers in Asia, especially China. Natural gas is a fossil fuel formed from plant matter over the course of millions of years. Natural gas derived from fossil fuels is a non-renewable energy source; however, methane can be renewable in other forms such as biogas. Peak coal was in 2013, and peak oil is forecast to occur before peak gas. One forecast is for natural gas demand to peak in 2035.
There have been widely varying estimates of proven oil reserves in Russia. Most estimates included only Western Siberian reserves, which have been exploited since the 1970s and supply two-thirds of Russian oil. However, there are potentially huge reserves elsewhere. In 2005, the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources estimated that another 4.7 billion barrels of oil exist in Eastern Siberia. In July 2013, the Russian Natural Resources Ministry made official estimates of reserves available for the first time. According to Russian Natural Resources Minister Sergey Donskoy, as of 1 January 2012, recoverable reserves of oil in Russia under category ABC1 were 17.8 billion tons and category C2 reserves were 10.9 billion tons.
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Gas depletion is the decline in natural gas production of a well, gas field, or geographic area.
This article describes the energy and electricity production, consumption and import in Egypt.
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Shale gas is an unconventional natural gas produced from shale, a type of sedimentary rock. Shale gas has become an increasingly important source of natural gas in the United States over the past decade, and interest has spread to potential gas shales in Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia. One analyst expects shale gas to supply as much as half the natural gas production in North America by 2020.
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The Marcellus natural gas trend is a large geographic area of prolific shale gas extraction from the Marcellus Shale or Marcellus Formation, of Devonian age, in the eastern United States. The shale play encompasses 104,000 square miles and stretches across Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and into eastern Ohio and western New York. In 2012, it was the largest source of natural gas in the United States, and production was still growing rapidly in 2013. The natural gas is trapped in low-permeability shale, and requires the well completion method of hydraulic fracturing to allow the gas to flow to the well bore. The surge in drilling activity in the Marcellus Shale since 2008 has generated both economic benefits and considerable controversy.
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