Sedigas - Annual Report 2.007

The world's gas > Estate of reserves > State of the reserves

State of the reserves

The figures published by Oil and Gas Journal at the end of the year showed insignificant growth in natural gas reserves, equivalent to 88 bcm (10⁹), approximately.

The region which saw the most notable increase in reserves was America, where overall growth was about 5.3%. The largest decline was in Western Europe, with an estimated 5% fall.

Unión Fenosa

Proven world reserves of natural gas. Evolution (1)

(Billions of m³)

North America
Central and South America
Western Europe
Western Europe and CIS
Africa
Middle East
Asia-Oceania
*

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
4,4
3,9
31,6
5,7
18,5
4,8
76,9

1985

8,4
5,4
5,7
38
5,9
25,9
7
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
7,7
56,5
11,4
54,8
12,2
156,8

2005

7,1
7,4
6,1
57,5
14,1
72,5
13,8
178,5

2007

7,6
8,0
5,6
57,9
14,5
73,0
15,1
181,8

2008

7,8
8,7
5,3
57,9
14,6
72,5
15,0
181,9

(1) Figures for the beginning of each year.

Source: CEDIGAZ and Oil and Gas Journal. Own source.

The countries which have seen the sharpest upturn in natural gas reserves are Angola, Brazil, Malaysia and Bolivia. Downward revisions were largest in Italy, Papua-New Guinea and the United Kingdom. It should be borne in mind that forecasts of the above factor are only done in countries where new evaluation studies have been carried out (of which there are few).

PROVEN WORLD RESERVES OF NATURAL GAS. EVOLUTION BY COUNTRIES.10⁹ m³. (1)

(Billons de m³)

North America
USA
Canada
Central and South America
Venezuela
Bolivia
Argentina
Trinidad and Tobago
Mexico
Brazil
Peru
Western Europe
Norway
The Netherlands
UK
Germany
Italy
Western Europe and CIS
Russia
Turkmenistán
Kazajstan
Uzbekistan
Azerbaijan
Ucrania
Rumanía
Africa
Nigeria
Argelia
Egypt
Libya
Angola
Middle East
Iran
Qatar
Arabia Saudita
Abu Dhabi
Irak
Kuwait
Oman
Yemen
Asia-Oceania
China
Indonesia
Australia
Malasia
India
Paquistan
Papua New Guinea
Bangladesh
Brunei
WORLD TOTAL

2004

6.956
5.353
1.603
7.243
4.219
782
612
588
421
245
247
6.281
3.188
1.492
905
207
135
57.734
48.000
2.900
1.900
1.860
1.350
1.105
305
13.925
5.055
4.545
1.756
1.491
269
72.640
27.570
25.783
6.754
5.620
3.170
1.572
830
479
13.925
1.823
2.770
2.594
2.464
854
790
428
433
345
178.704

2005

7.051
5.451
1.600
7.378
4.287
757
542
532
419
326
325
6.091
3.159
1.449
826
191
125
57.532
47.800
2.860
1.900
1.860
1.350
1.110
295
14.118
5.117
4.545
1.869
1.491
270
72.544
27.500
25.783
6.834
5.660
3.170
1.572
690
479
13.819
2.020
2.769
2.403
2.272
923
798
428
422
343
178.533

2006

7.427
5.787
1.640
7.264
4.315
740
439
530
412
306
338
5.850
3.108
1.387
728
178
117
57.863
47.820
2.860
1.900
1.850
1.350
1.100
628
14.280
5.154
4.504
1.895
1.491
270
72.488
27.495
25.636
6.900
5.700
3.170
1.572
690
479
14.455
2.270
2.769
2.429
2.480
1.101
852
428
407
340
179.627

2007

7.625
5.977
1.648
8.034
5.100
740
446
480
392
348
335
5.593
3.022
1.316
684
155
94
57.875
47.814
2.860
1.900
1.870
1.350
1.100
628
14.493
5.215
4.504
2.047
1.491
270
73.031
27.575
25.636
7.154
5.700
3.170
1.780
690
485
15.153
3.000
2.659
2.485
2.480
1.075
865
435
392
331
181.804

2008

7.828
6.173
1.655
8.674
5.565
817
437
480
376
395
319
5.320
2.905
1.316
585
155
54
57.874
47.814
2.860
1.900
1.870
1.350
1.100
628
14.648
5.275
4.428
2.047
1.419
1.287
72.543
26.455
25.490
7.546
5.700
3.168
1.813
690
485
15.005
3.000
2.553
2.455
2.745
1.075
865
285
392
331
181.892

Var..(%)

2,7
3,3
0,4
8,0
9,1
10,4
-2,0
0,0
-4,1
13,5
-4,8
-4,9
-3,9
0,0
-14,5
0,0
-42,6
0,0
0,0
0,0
0,0
0,0
0,0
0,0
0,0
1,1
1,2
-1,7
0,0
-4,8
376,7
-0,7
-4,1
-0,6
5,5
0,0
-0,1
1,9
0,0
0,0
-1,0
0,0
-4,0
-1,2
10,7
0,0
0,0
-34,5
0,0
0,0
0,0

Dist.(%)

4,3
3,4
0,9
4,8
3,1
0,4
0,2
0,3
0,2
0,2
0,2
2,9
1,6
0,7
0,3
0,1
0,0
31,8
26,3
1,6
1,0
1,0
0,7
0,6
0,3
8,1
2,9
2,4
1,1
0,8
0,7
39,9
14,5
14,0
4,1
3,1
1,7
1,0
0,4
0,3
8,2
1,6
1,4
1,3
1,5
0,6
0,5
0,2
0,2
0,2
100

(1) Only the countries with the highest reserves in each area are included. Figures for the beginning of each year.

Source: CEDIGAZ and Oil and Gas Journal. Own source.

The Middle East has 40% of the world’s reserves, followed by Eastern Europe and the countries of the CIS, at 32%, in round figures.

The Russian Federation has the largest known reserves in the world, assessed at 47,800 bcm of gas, 26.3% of the world total.

Iran is second, with 14.5% of the reserves, followed by Qatar (14%), Saudi Arabia (4.1%), Abu Dhabi (3.1%), Venezuela (3%) and Nigeria, with 5,275 bcm of natural gas, equivalent to 2.9% of the world reserves.

Iberdrola | Endesa | Enagas

EVOLUTION OF OIL AND NATURAL GAS RESERVES IN THE WORLD

EVOLUCIÓN DE LAS RESERVAS DE PETRÓLEO Y GAS NATURAL EN EL MUNDO

Source: BP, CEDIGAZ and Oil and Gas Journal. Own source.

ResThe USA is ranked fifth (3.4%), and it is important to note that the number of natural gas prospections rose because of the price increase in the period 2005-2006, leading to the discovery of new reserves.

Taking only the known deposits, present reserves ensure there will be enough natural gas in the world for about 62 years.

The recorded gas reserves at the end of 2007 were equivalent to a little over 98% of the crude reserves.

NATURAL GAS AND OIL. RATIO RESERVES/PRODUCTION.

GAS NATURAL Y PETRÓLEO. RATIO RESERVAS/PRODUCCIÓN

DISTRIBUTION OF WORLD RESERVES, PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION OF NATURAL GAS (%)

DISTRIBUCIÓN DE RESERVAS, PRODUCCIÓN Y CONSUMO MUNDIAL DE GAS NATURAL

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Annual Report 2.007: Sedigas - The Spanish Gas Association