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Gas in the world > Reserves
Reserves

Data published by Oil and Gas Journal in late 2010 reveal a 0.6% yearly rise in proved natural gas reserves around the world, a figure consistent with historical values. If we apply this increase to the reserves Cedigaz estimated for the end of 2009, the result comes to 190.7 trillion (1012) m3, the highest figure in the history of this energy source.

Current proved natural gas reserves are today 25% higher than in 2000 and 47% higher than in 1990.
Metanero EVE
EVE

WORLD'S PROVED NATURAL GAS RESERVES

Trillions of m3 (1)
 
  • North America
  • Central & South America
  • OECD-Europe
  • Eastern Europe and CIS
  • Africa
  • Middle East
  • China and India
  • TOTAL
1970
  • 9,4
  • 1,9
  • 3,6
  • 12,5
  • 3,8
  • 6,6
  • 1,6
  • 39,4
1975
  • 8,5
  • 2,4
  • 4,1
  • 24,2
  • 5,2
  • 15,3
  • 3,4
  • 63,1
1980
  • 8,0
  • 4,4
  • 3,9
  • 31,6
  • 5,7
  • 18,5
  • 4,8
  • 76,9
1985
  • 8,4
  • 5,4
  • 5,7
  • 38,0
  • 5,9
  • 25,9
  • 7,0
  • 96,3
1990
  • 7,5
  • 6,9
  • 5,5
  • 52,5
  • 8,5
  • 37,8
  • 10,6
  • 129,3
1995
  • 6,5
  • 7,8
  • 6,2
  • 58,9
  • 9,9
  • 44,7
  • 13,1
  • 147,1
2000
  • 6,5
  • 7,7
  • 8,1
  • 52,7
  • 11,4
  • 54,7
  • 11,9
  • 153,1
2005
  • 7.0
  • 7,4
  • 6,5
  • 53,7
  • 14,1
  • 72,5
  • 13,9
  • 175,1
2009
  • 8,7
  • 7,8
  • 6,0
  • 59,6
  • 14,7
  • 75,2
  • 15,7
  • 187,7
2010
  • 9,4
  • 8,0
  • 5,8
  • 60,5
  • 14,7
  • 75,5
  • 15,7
  • 189,6
2011
  • 9,4
  • 8,0
  • 5,3
  • 60,5
  • 15,4
  • 76,3
  • 15,7
  • 190,7
(1) Figures at the beginning of year.

Source: CEDIGAZ y Oil and Gas Journal. Elaboración propia

The AIE estimates that Europe’s conventional reserves equal 21 trillion (21,000 bcm), as opposed to the 6 trillion estimated by Cedigaz.

Europe notwithstanding, all regions have increased or maintained their reserve values. If we break it down into countries, the largest increases belong to Egypt (+32%), Angola (14%) and Peru, with a 3.5% rise.

PROVED WORLD NATURAL GAS RESERVES. CHANGE BY COUNTRY. 109 m3 (1)
 
  • North America
  • USA
  • Canada
  • South & Central America
  • Venezuela
  • Bolivia
  • Argentina
  • Trinidad & Tobago
  • Mexico
  • Brazil
  • Peru
  • Western Europe
  • Norway
  • Netherlands
  • United Kingdom
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Eastern Europe and CIS
  • Russia
  • Turkmenistan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Uzbekistan
  • Azerbaijan
  • Ukraine
  • Romania
  • Africa
  • Nigeria
  • Algeria
  • Egypt
  • Libya
  • Angola
  • Middle East
  • Irán
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Abu Dhabi
  • Iraq
  • Kuwait
  • Oman
  • Yemen
  • China and India
  • China
  • Indonesia
  • Australia
  • Malaysia
  • India
  • Pakistan
  • Papua-New Guinea
  • Bangladesh
  • Brunei
  • WORLD TOTAL
2005
  • 7.044
  • 5.451
  • 1.593
  • 7.378
  • 4.287
  • 757
  • 542
  • 532
  • 419
  • 326
  • 338
  • 6.462
  • 3.159
  • 1.449
  • 826
  • 191
  • 125
  • 295
  • 53.744
  • 44.840
  • 2.680
  • 1.900
  • 1.745
  • 1.275
  • 1.040
  • 14.078
  • 5.117
  • 4.545
  • 1.869
  • 1.491
  • 270
  • 72.514
  • 27.500
  • 25.783
  • 6.834
  • 5.630
  • 3.170
  • 1.572
  • 690
  • 479
  • 13.886
  • 2.020
  • 2.650
  • 2.650
  • 2.272
  • 923
  • 798
  • 428
  • 422
  • 345
  • 175.106
2008
  • 8.364
  • 6.730
  • 1.634
  • 7.721
  • 4.838
  • 710
  • 442
  • 479
  • 373
  • 365
  • 335
  • 6.092
  • 2.961
  • 1.266
  • 647
  • 137
  • 84
  • 628
  • 53.863
  • 44.900
  • 2.680
  • 1.950
  • 1.755
  • 1.285
  • 1.030
  • 14.511
  • 5.292
  • 4.504
  • 2.060
  • 1.495
  • 275
  • 73.579
  • 28.080
  • 25.636
  • 7.300
  • 5.680
  • 3.170
  • 1.784
  • 630
  • 488
  • 14.973
  • 2.600
  • 3.184
  • 2.362
  • 2.347
  • 1.055
  • 850
  • 435
  • 374
  • 321
  • 179.103
2009
  • 8.679
  • 6.925
  • 1.754
  • 7.791
  • 4.982
  • 710
  • 399
  • 435
  • 359
  • 365
  • 345
  • 5.983
  • 2.985
  • 1.222
  • 601
  • 126
  • 69
  • 617
  • 59.626
  • 44.900
  • 8.400
  • 1.950
  • 1.745
  • 1.359
  • 1.010
  • 14.707
  • 5.292
  • 4.504
  • 2.170
  • 1.540
  • 310
  • 75.199
  • 29.610
  • 25.466
  • 7.570
  • 5.705
  • 3.170
  • 1.784
  • 610
  • 490
  • 15.704
  • 2.700
  • 3.038
  • 3.145
  • 2.346
  • 1.074
  • 843
  • 442
  • 344
  • 321
  • 187.689
2010
  • 9.397
  • 7.712
  • 1.685
  • 7.969
  • 5.241
  • 695
  • 379
  • 408
  • 339
  • 358
  • 345
  • 5.756
  • 2.819
  • 1.247
  • 564
  • 98
  • 64
  • 606
  • 60.533
  • 46.000
  • 8.340
  • 1.950
  • 1.682
  • 1.310
  • 990
  • 14.736
  • 5.292
  • 4.504
  • 2.185
  • 1.549
  • 310
  • 75.489
  • 29.610
  • 25.366
  • 7.920
  • 5.715
  • 3.170
  • 1.784
  • 610
  • 490
  • 15.727
  • 2.751
  • 2.960
  • 3.225
  • 2.362
  • 1.085
  • 818
  • 442
  • 364
  • 309
  • 189.607
2011
  • 9.397
  • 7.712
  • 1.685
  • 8.018
  • 5.327
  • 695
  • 360
  • 382
  • 319
  • 360
  • 357
  • 5.324
  • 2.485
  • 1.222
  • 494
  • 98
  • 58
  • 606
  • 60.533
  • 46.000
  • 8.340
  • 1.950
  • 1.682
  • 1.310
  • 990
  • 15.404
  • 5.338
  • 4.504
  • 2.883
  • 1.558
  • 353
  • 76.287
  • 29.610
  • 25.267
  • 8.287
  • 6.104
  • 3.170
  • 1.784
  • 610
  • 490
  • 15.696
  • 2.571
  • 2.960
  • 3.225
  • 2.362
  • 1.084
  • 818
  • 442
  • 364
  • 309
  • 190.659
Variat.(%)
  • 0,0
  • 0,0
  • 0,0
  • 0,6
  • 1,6
  • 0,0
  • -5,0
  • -6,4
  • -5,9
  • 0,6
  • 3,5
  • -7,5
  • -11,8
  • -2,0
  • -12,4
  • 0,0
  • -9,4
  • 0,0
  • 0,0
  • 0,0
  • 0,0
  • 0,0
  • 0,0
  • 0,0
  • 0,0
  • 4,5
  • 0,9
  • 0,0
  • 31,9
  • 0,6
  • 13,9
  • 1,1
  • 0,0
  • -0,4
  • 4,6
  • 6,8
  • 0,0
  • 0,0
  • 0,0
  • 0,0
  • -0,2
  • -6,5
  • 0,0
  • 0,0
  • 0,0
  • -0,1
  • 0,0
  • 0,0
  • 0,0
  • 0,0
  • 0,6
Distri.(%)
  • 4,9
  • 4,0
  • 0,9
  • 4,2
  • 2,8
  • 0,4
  • 0,2
  • 0,2
  • 0,2
  • 0,2
  • 0,2
  • 2,8
  • 1,3
  • 0,6
  • 0,3
  • 0,1
  • 0,0
  • 0,3
  • 31,7
  • 24,1
  • 4,4
  • 1,0
  • 0,9
  • 0,7
  • 0,5
  • 8,1
  • 2,8
  • 2,4
  • 1,5
  • 0,8
  • 0,2
  • 40,0
  • 15,5
  • 13,3
  • 4,3
  • 3,2
  • 1,7
  • 0,9
  • 0,3
  • 0,3
  • 8,2
  • 1,3
  • 1,6
  • 1,7
  • 1,2
  • 0,6
  • 0,4
  • 0,2
  • 0,2
  • 0,2
  • 100
(1) Only includes the countries with the largest reserves in each area. Data refers to the beginning of each year.

Source: CEDIGAZ and Oil and Gas Journal. Prepared by Sedigas.

The greatest concentrations of gas may be found in the Middle East (40% of the worldwide total), followed by the collection of CIS countries (32%). European reserves continue to fall and now represent but 2.8% of the planet’s total.

The Russian Federation occupies the top spot in this ranking, with some 46,000 bcm of proved reserves. Next comes Iran (29,600 bcm), Qatar (25,000 bcm) and Saudi Arabia. Turkmenistan sits in fifth position, followed by the US, Abu Dhabi and Venezuela.

The AIE has estimated that the world houses some 921 trillion m3non-conventional gas resources (excluding methane clathrate), 380 trillion of which are, today, technically and economically recoverable, equal to 83% of the world’s conventional reserves, according to AIE estimates. From this latter figure, some 14 trillion are to be found in Europe.

A study published by Oil and Gas Journal on 26 July estimates that North America’s natural gas reserves come to 101,000 bcm, 56% of which correspond to non-conventional gas. Of these, half are shale gas.  In terms of non-conventional gas (some 56,000 bcm), 22,000 bcm are linked to Canada, while the rest (the majority) correspond to the US.

EVOLUCIÓN DE LAS RESERVAS DE PETRÓLEO Y GAS NATURAL EN EL MUNDO
Source: BP, CEDIGAZ and Oil and Gas Journal. Prepared by Sedigas.

Poland is the European country that is currently investing the greatest amount of effort into localising non-conventional gas.

The excess supply and low prices are slowing down the drilling and mining of conventional gas, both in the US and Canada, a market, in the latter’s case, which revolves around exports, primarily to the US.

At the same time, conventional gas is being discovered in deep waters (the most notable example is Brazil, which could become a major exporter over the next decade) and shallow waters (see Repsol’s success in the Gulf of Venezuela and in Bolivia, for example).

Today’s estimated natural gas reserves are equivalent to 87% of the oil reserves, a ratio which diminished over the past year thanks to a sharp increase in crude oil reserve estimates.
GAS NATURAL Y PETRÓLEO. RATIO RESERVAS/PRODUCCIÓN
Annual Report 2010
Annual Report 2.010: Sedigas - The Spanish Gas Association