Publications

Survey of Energy Resources 2007

Natural Gas Country Notes

The USA possesses the world's sixth largest proved reserves of natural gas, and accounts for just over 3% of the global total. Apart from the Russian Federation and the United States, all other countries in the top 10 for gas reserves are members of OPEC.

The figure of 5 866 bcm tabulated above is derived from total proved reserves of dry natural gas at end-2005 (204 385 bcf), as given by the Energy Information Administration in its U.S. Crude Oil, Natural Gas and Natural Gas Liquids Reserves 2005 Annual Report. For the purposes of the present Survey, the original data in billion cubic feet at 14.73 psia and 60^oF have been transformed into standard SER terms (1 013 mb and 15^oC) by means of separate adjustments for pressure and temperature.

During the 3 years since the last edition of the Survey of Energy Resources, US gas reserves have registered an increase of 17 439 bcf, or about 494 bcm. Total additions to reserves in 2003-2005 were 30.6% greater than the amount of gas produced during the same period.

The 17.4 tcf net increase in reserves during 2003-2005 was due partly to discoveries (field extensions, new field discoveries and new reservoir discoveries in old fields, totalling 62.6 tcf during the three-year period), partly to revisions and adjustments to estimates for old fields (+6.4 tcf) and partly to the net balance of sales and acquisitions (+5.4 tcf). Cumulative production during the three-year period was some 57 tcf.

Total discoveries during 2005 amounted to 23.2 tcf, the largest component comprising field extensions, notably in Texas, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Colorado and Louisiana. The states with the largest gas reserves at end-2005 were Texas (27.6% of the USA total), Wyoming (11.6%), New Mexico (8.9%) and Oklahoma (8.4%). Reserves in the Federal Offshore areas in the Gulf of Mexico accounted for 8.3% of the total. About 87% of proved reserves consist of non-associated gas.