The use of natural gas is an important part of modern human life. It warms our homes in the winter, gives us the opportunity to cook and swim in warm water, transport moves with its help and large enterprises work. There will be no blue fuel - there will be a collapse. Despite the huge gas reserves in the world, it is necessary to use the resource wisely and productively, so that many generations after us can also enjoy the benefits of civilization.
World Gas Reserves (2014)
No matter how many cubic meters of blue fuel the planet contains in its bowels, one must be careful and economical in its production and consumption. The resource is not replenished and is not formed by itself. Therefore, sooner or later it may end.
The exact amount of gas hidden under the strata of the earth, no one will call you. But according to some experts, we can talk about 173 trillion proven reserves. About 120 trillion more are supposedly hidden far from our eyes, and the man’s hand has not yet reached secret wealth. This blue fuel should be enough for humanity only for 65 years. Where are the largest gas reserves in the world? A table compiled by experts will help us answer this question.
| Country |
trillion m³ |
| Russia | 31.2–48.8 |
| Iran | 33.6–34 |
| Qatar | 24.6–25.2 |
| Turkmenistan |
9.9-17.5 |
| USA | 8.7–9.4 |
| Saudi Arabia | 8.1–8.3 |
| UAE | 6 |
| Venezuela | 5.5 |
| Nigeria | 5.1 |
| Algeria | 4, 5 |
It should be noted that there are countries with the largest reserves of shale gas in the world. These are the USA, Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Poland, Austria, Germany and other European states.
Russia
Our country has the richest deposits of this resource. As shown in the table, the estimated volume of blue fuel ranges from 31 trillion cubic meters to almost 50. As a percentage, we own from 24 to 40 percent of all existing gas reserves on Earth.
More than half of the prospective resources of the Russian Federation are located in the western region of Siberia, more than a quarter - on the shelves of the Kara and Barents Seas. Part of the forecast deposits is concentrated in the seas of the Far East and the Arctic, as well as in the Asian part of the country. As for the explored, two-thirds are hidden in the bowels of the Yamalo-Nenets district. Only 10% falls on the European part of the Russian Federation. These are the largest gas reserves in the world that exist.
The Urengoyskoye blue fuel field is the third largest in the world. In total, it holds 16 trillion cubic meters. Gas production is carried out by Gazprom, which delivers the product to many European countries.
Iran
The largest reserves of natural gas in the world, except for Russia, is also this Islamic republic. According to general estimates, this is about 16% of the total resource on the planet. The most important deposits are located in the northeast and in the Persian Gulf shelf. The state plans the construction of the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline.
The world's proven gas reserves are large, and Iran owns their lion's share. Therefore, I am ready to compete with Russia for the supply of resources to Europe. The authorities of the Islamic Republic are going to put blue fuel in the north-west. There are many options for the route: through Turkey, Syria, Iraq or the Caucasus. Although the first proposed branch, the Deputy Minister of Oil and Gas of Iran, Ali Majedi called the most promising.
The construction of the pipeline will be completed in 2019. Then the delivery will begin. Turkey will receive 6 billion cubic meters of blue fuel annually as a transit country, and almost twice as much resource will go to Europe.
Qatar
A small state that not everyone will find on the world map has very large gas reserves. In the world, it is the third most hidden cubic meter of blue fuel in the bowels of the earth. It is approximately 24–26 trillion m³. Based on the above figures, the country can safely engage in gas production over the next 150 years. Here is one of the largest deposits on the planet - the North Dome.
Recently, Qatar has been looking for opportunities to establish exports to the European Union. As well as for Iran, the best corridors for this state pass through Syria and Turkey. In negotiations with the leadership of these countries on transit, the Qatar authorities are dreaming of competing with Russia with dignity and even getting around it in terms of the amount of blue fuel transported. And it is quite real. The country is actively producing oil and gas. The reserves in the world of these resources are distributed in such a way that the lion's share falls on Qatar. The cost of deposits in this territory is estimated at $ 10 trillion, which is twice as much as that of Iran and Russia, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.
Turkmenistan
Gas reserves around the world are located in such a way that the fourth place in our rating is occupied by this particular state. And he has every chance to break into the top three, since in 2015, President Garbanguly Berdimuhamedov instructed the government to increase resource extraction to 83 billion cubic meters, and exports to 48.
The country is actively supplying blue fuel to China, and also, paradoxically, to Iran and Russia. Now the state is also starting the construction of a new TAPI gas pipeline.
In the bowels of the giant gas and oil field in Turkmenistan - Galkynyshe - large gas reserves are hidden. There are few such places in the world. Its operation began relatively recently - in 2013. The country also has large resource deposits near the city of Iolotan, named after this settlement - South Iolotan.
USA
This country primarily has the largest reserves of shale gas in the world. They extract it from oil shale, and it consists mainly of their methane. The first commercial well was drilled here in 1821 in New York. Since then, the United States has become one of the leaders in the extraction of this resource on the planet.
The largest gas deposits in the United States are located in the Gulf of Mexico. These are the wells: Red Hawk, opened in 2002, as well as Ticonderoga and Tender Horse, each of which contains 20 billion cubic meters of gas. At the same time, Point Thompson, which is part of the oil and gas basin of northern Alaska, has remained a real giant since 1965. Here the bowels of the earth contain 3 trillion m³. To transport the resource, the country is building a gas pipeline. It stretches from Point Thompson to the very coast of the Pacific Ocean, and from there to the heart of America - Washington.
Experts say this field can provide 7% of the annual demand of the United States. It is assumed that the gas pipeline will be finished in 2018, then its full operation will begin.
Saudi Arabia
There are more than a quarter of proven oil reserves. In total, it is about 260 billion barrels. This country is also the main regulator of oil prices in the world and the leader of OPEC.
As for gas, in the next 10 years, the power will double its production. Export supplies are not expected, the resource will provide only the internal needs of the state. At present, the largest gas field is Tukhman, located in the center of the Rub al-Khali desert. The initial reserve here is estimated at 1 billion cubic meters. The resource lies at a depth of five kilometers.
Although Saudi Arabia is among the ten gas giants of the world, it nevertheless “feeds” itself mainly due to oil. It is she who owns the largest oil field in the world - Gavar. Here they produce 65% of all the country's oil. For example, in 2006, only in Gavar, 6.5% of world oil production was raised to the surface. There are also deposits of natural gas: 56.5 million m³ are mined every day.
UAE
214 trillion cubic meters is the reliable gas reserves. In the world, the Emirates hold a leading position in this area: 4% of all world resource deposits. It is mainly mined in Abu Dhabi. The company of the same name controls 90 percent of the state’s gas reserves.
According to experts, the UAE also occupies the 5th place in the world in oil sales. The country is a member of OPEC; it will have enough oil reserves for more than 100 years. 66 billion barrels - this is how much black gold contains the bowels of this fertile Arab land. The national company Abu Dhabi also controls the industry.
The United Arab Emirates is the richest country in the world and a leading economic center. From 1970 to the present day, per capita GDP has increased 20 times. The main trading partners are: Italy, Germany, Great Britain, South Korea and Japan. UAE is also an interesting country. She chose absolute neutrality, both in relation to the West, and to her native East.
Venezuela
The world's natural gas reserves are large, and part of them is owned by the Bolivarian Republic. She takes an honorable eighth place in our ranking of gas giants. Of the 146 trillion cubic pounds, a third is classified as "possible." The state takes part in the development of offshore blue fuel deposits together with companies from Russia, China, Algeria and Malaysia.
In the western hemisphere of the planet, it is in Venezuela that the largest oil reserves are concentrated - about 75-80 billion barrels. Although the government claims that these numbers are reduced several times. Be that as it may, in Latin America it is the No. 1 state in the field of black gold production. It is a member of OPEC and one of the most powerful oil exporters on the planet.
Venezuela is not only a well-known leader-exporter of important natural resources, but also claims to be the first in the ranking of the most developed and successful countries in Latin America. And this despite all its conflicts with the United States, the border Antilles and neighboring Colombia.
Nigeria
Gas reserves were distributed among the countries of the world in such a way that two African states also entered the TOP-10 of the largest gas empires. In ninth place, we have Nigeria - power No. 1 on the "black" continent in terms of proven reserves of blue fuel. About 5 trillion cubic meters of resources are hidden in the earth’s bowels. Nigeria ranks 7th in the world in its exports, which is also a good result.
Possesses land and oil deposits. It ranks second after Libya in the number of proven reserves of valuable barrels. But in terms of exports of black gold in Africa there is no equal to it. Nigeria is actively selling the resource to Western Europe, the USA, India and Brazil. She is an honorary member of OPEC.
