Tuesday, January 3, 2012

World's Top 15 Natural Gas Proven Reserve Holders, Jan 1, 2012 -- OGJ

by David Rachovich

Estimated Proved Reserves of Natural Gas



Rank
Country
Proved reserves
(billion cubic feet), Jan 1, 2012
Proved reserves
(billion cubic feet), Jan 1, 2011
Proved reserves (billion cubic feet), Jan 1, 2010
Share of total, Jan 1, 2012
1.
Russia
1,680,000
1,680,000
1,680,000
24.9%
2.
Iran*
1,168,000
1,045,670
1,045,670
17.3%
3.
Qatar*
890,000
895,800
899,325
13.2%
4.
Saudi Arabia*
283,000
275,200
263,000
4.2%
5.
United States
272,509
244,656
244,656
4.0%
6.
Turkmenistan
265,000
265,000
265,000
3.9%
7.
United Arab Emirates*
215,035
227,900
214,400
3.2%
8.
Venezuela*
195,100
178,860
175,970
2.9%
9.
Nigeria*
180,458
186,880
185,280
2.7%
10.
Algeria*
159,000
159,000
159,000
2.4%
11.
Indonesia
141,060
106,000
106,000
2.1%
12.
Iraq*
111,520
111,940
111,940
1.7%
13.
China
107,000
107,000
107,000
1.6%
14.
Kazakhstan
85,000
85,000
85,000
1.3%
15.
Malaysia
83,000
83,000
83,000
1.2%
World total
6,746,751
6,647,341
6,609,346
100.0%
Total OPEC**
3,330,137
3,211,152
3,182,829
49.4%

Notes: OGJ's annual look at worldwide gas reserves shows an increase to 6,746.8 trillion cubic feet/tcf from 6,647.3 tcf in last year's survey. Total gas reserves for OPEC are up nearly 4% from a year ago. Reported gas reserves climbed by 12% in Iran to 1,168 tcf and declined in Libya by 3% to 52.8 tcf. As of Jan. 1, 2012, OPEC's gas reserves totaled 3,330.1 tcf, or 49% of the worldwide total. Dry natural gas proved reserves in the United States were estimated at 272.5 tcf for 2009, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. EIA also reported that proved reserves of wet gas, which includes natural gas plant liquids, increased by 11% in 2009 to 284 tcf. This is their highest level since 1971. Shale gas development in Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania drove the increase in proved reserves of natural gas. Louisiana led the nation in wet natural gas proved reserves additions with a 77% increase of 9.2 tcf owing primarily to development of the Haynesville shale. Please read Marilyn Radler, "Worldwide Oil Production Steady in 2011; Reported Reserves Grow," OGJ, Dec. 5, 2011. According to the OGJ, Australia is not in the Top 15 this year? -- D.R.
* OPEC member. Data for Kuwait and Saudi Arabia exclude one-half of the reserves in the Kuwait-Saudi Arabia Neutral Zone. Neutral Zone contains 1,000 bcf, i.e. 1 tcf, of gas reserves.
**Including also Angola, Ecuador, Libya, Kuwait and the Neutral Zone.
Sources: "Worldwide Look at Reserves and Production [Table]," Oil & Gas Journal, Dec, 2011; "Special Report – Worldwide Look at Reserves and Production," OGJ, Dec 6, 2010.

(The United States has surpassed Turkmenistan as the world's fifth largest natural gas proven reserve holder and please see notes above. Also, please see Aaron and David Rachovich, "World's Top 22 Natural Gas Proven Reserve Holders, Jan 1, 2011 – OGJ," and (update) "World's Top 24 Natural Gas Proven Reserve Holders, Jan 1, 2013 -- OGJ." According to OGJ, Oman has proven reserves of natural gas of 30 tcf as of Jan. 1, 2012 -- unchanged from Jan. 1, 2011. Also, please see "World's Top 23 Proven Oil Reserves Holders, Jan 1, 2012 -- OGJ," the world's largest oil and gas companies by the combined production volumes of oil and natural gas: "Mid 2012 Ranking of the World's Biggest Oil & Gas Companies -- Forbes" and the world's largest oil and gas companies by oil and gas reserves, oil and gas production, product sales and refinery distillation capacity, i.e. PIW rankings: "[Petroleum Intelligence Weekly Ranks World's Top 50 Oil Companies -- ] Suncor Up, ConocoPhillips Down in PIW`s New Top 50 Oil Rankings." – D.R.)

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