List of countries by natural gas proven reserves

Trends in the five countries with largest proven reserves of natural gas, according to the US Energy Information Administration
Countries by natural gas proven reserves (2014), based on data from CIA The World Factbook
oil and gas Industry Reserves by Nation
Countries by natural gas and oil proven reserves (2015)
World natural gas proven reserves 1960–2012 (OPEC)

This list is based on the CIA World Factbook (when no citation is given).[1] or other authoritative third-party sources (as cited). Based on data from EIA, at the start of 2021, proven gas reserves were dominated by three countries: Iran, Russia, and Qatar.

There is some disagreement on which country has the largest proven gas reserves. Sources that consider Russia in possession of the world's largest proven reserves include the US CIA (47,600 cubic kilometers),[2] the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) (49,000 km3),[3] and OPEC (48,810 km3).[4] However, BP credits Russia with only 32,900 km3,[5] which would place it in second place, slightly behind Iran (33,100 to 33,800 km3, depending on the source).

Due to constant announcements of shale gas recoverable reserves, as well as drilling in Central Asia, South America, Africa, and deepwater drilling, estimates are updated frequently. Since 2000, some countries, notably the US and Canada, have seen large increases in proven gas reserves due to development of shale gas, but shale gas deposits in most countries are yet to be added to reserve calculations.

List

* indicates "Natural gas in COUNTRY or TERRITORY" or "Natural resources of COUNTRY or TERRITORY" links.

Proven reserves (km³)
Country U.S. EIA
(2021)[6] 		OPEC
(start of 2018)[7] 		BP
(end of 2020)[8] 		OTHERS Production
km3/year
(2021)[9] 		Years of
production
in reserve[10]
 Russia * 47,800 47,760 37,400 701.55 68.1
 Iran * 34,000 33,988 32,100 248.3 140
 Qatar * 23,900 23,861 24,700 169.0 141
 United States * 17,710[11] 9,067 12,600 977.44 18.1
 Turkmenistan * 10,000 9,838 13,600 87.02 100
 Saudi Arabia * 9,430 9,514 6,000 115.6 81.6
 China * 6,650 2,934 8,400 212.0 31.4
 United Arab Emirates * 6,090 8,210 5,900 63.77 95.5
 Venezuela * 6,000 5,707 6,300 15.9 400
 Nigeria * 5,750 5,913 5,500 44.40 130
 Algeria * 4,500 4,504 2,300 102.1 44.1
 Iraq * 3,740 3,744 3,500 10.7 350
 Australia * 3,230 3,173 2,400 147.1 22
 Mozambique * 3,000 5.35 600
 Kazakhstan * 2,400 1,898 2,300 20.0 120
 Canada * 2,100 2,059 2,400 182.2 12
 Azerbaijan * 2,000 1,227 2,500 31.38 60
 Uzbekistan * 1,800 1,564 800 49.70 36
 Egypt * 1,800 2,221 2,100 69.43 26
 Kuwait * 1,800 1,784 1,700 21.3 85
 Norway * 1,600 2,314 1,400 115.1 14
 Libya 1,500 1,505 1,400 14.6 100
 India * 1,400 1,289 1,300 32.3 43
 Malaysia * 1,200 2,909 900 70.99 17
 Ukraine * 1,100 304 1,100 18.9 58
 Indonesia * 1,000 2,866 1,300 58.96 20
 Senegal 1,000
 Turkey * 710 0.40 8
 Vietnam * 710 203 600 7.02 100
 Oman * 650 884 700 39.19 17
 Myanmar * 650 273 400 16.3 40
 Pakistan * 590 757 400 33.39 18
 Yemen * 480 300 0.12 4,000
 Guyana 453
 Argentina * 487 381 400 40.44 10
 Brazil * 370 325 300 23.8 16
 Angola * 340 422 5.86 58
 Peru * 310 513 261 12 26
 Trinidad and Tobago * 310 433 290 25.7 12
 Bolivia * 310 310 213 15.5 20
 Congo * 300 284 0.42 700
 Brunei * 260 252 222 11.4 23
 Syria * 240 300 269 3.26 74
 Papua New Guinea * 180 163 11.4 16
 Mexico 180 146 178 23.9 7.5
 United Kingdom * 180 269 187 32.48 5.5
 Israel * 180 589 17.7 10
 Thailand * 140 180 143 36.36 3.9
 Equatorial Guinea * 140 145 5.83 24
 Cameroon * 140 152 2.3 61
 Netherlands * 130 804 130 21.6 6.0
 Bangladesh * 130 346 110 23.9 5.4
 Romania * 100 105 78 9.32 10
 Philippines * 99 3 10
 Chile * 99 5.30 1.4 71
 Poland * 91 56.3 72.2 5.64 16
 Colombia * 88 104 86 11.4 7.7
 Bahrain * 82 64.8 18.6 2.8
 Sudan * 80 0 -
 Cuba * 71 0.91 78
 Tunisia * 65 1.4 46
 Namibia * 62 0 -
 Rwanda * 60 0.06 1,000
 Afghanistan * 51 0.079 650
 Serbia * 48 0.40 120
 Italy * 45 27.1 100 3.20 14
 New Zealand * 31 4.13 7.5
 Ivory Coast * 30 2.5 10
 Mauritania * 30 0 -
 Denmark * 30 73.9 100 1.2 20
 Gabon * 30 25.5 0.45 70
 Croatia 30 0.82 40
 Ethiopia * 30 0 -
 Germany 20 39.6 100 4.98 4
 Ghana 20 2.92 7
 Japan * 20 2.4 8
 Moldova - 0.006 (2019) 3,333
 Slovakia 10 0.062 200
 Uganda 10 0 -
 Ecuador 10 5.4 0.31 30
 Ireland * 10 1.6 6
 Georgia 8 8.5 0.01 800
 South Korea * 8 0.05 200
 France 8 0.02 400
 Austria 6 1.2 5
 Tanzania * 6 1.3 5
 Taiwan * 6 0.091 70
 Jordan * 6 0.19 30
 Bulgaria 6 0.037 200
 Somalia * 6 0 -
 Tajikistan * 6 0.02 300
 Kyrgyzstan 6 0.02 300
 Albania 6 0.059 100
 South Africa * - 1.1 2.7
 Czech Republic 3 0.20 20
 Belarus * 3 0.074 40
 Somaliland 3 0
 Hungary * 3 1.5 2
 Spain 2.55 0.048 53
 Morocco * 1.44 474 0.12 12
 Benin 1.13 0 -
 DR Congo 0.99 0 -
 Greece 0.99 0.06 200
 Barbados 0.11 0.01 10
 Armenia * 0 18.0
 World 205,500 (2020) 4,083.09 50.33

Comparison of proven natural gas reserves from different sources (cubic kilometers, as of 31 December 2014/1 January 2015)

Source Canada Iran Russia Saudi Arabia United States Venezuela
BP[12] 2,000 34,000 32,800 8,200 9,800 5,600
OPEC[13] 2,028 34,020 49,541 8,489 9,580 5,617
U.S. Energy Information Administration[14] 2,535 42,426 59,619 10,393 10,441 6,960

References

  1. ^ Rank Order - Natural gas - proved reserves. Retrieved June 2014.
  2. ^ Natural gas - proved reserves. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  3. ^ US Energy Information Administration, [1][permanent dead link‍]. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  4. ^ OPEC, Table 3.2 Natural gas proven reserves by country Archived 27 February 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  5. ^ BP, BP Statistical Review of World Energy, June 2013. Archived 6 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics, accessed 17 Jan. 2019.
  7. ^ OPEC, Annual Statistical Bulletin 2018
  8. ^ BP, Statistical Review of World Energy, June 2022.
  9. ^ "International - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)". www.eia.gov. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  10. ^ (EIA Reserves and Production)
  11. ^ "Proved reserves of U.S. natural gas increased by 152.1 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) (32%), from 473.3 Tcf at year-end 2020 to 625.4 Tcf at year-end 2021". 30 December 2022.
  12. ^ BP Statistical Review of World Energy, 2015
  13. ^ OPEC Statistical Bulletin, 2015.
  14. ^ International Data: Natural Gas Reserves, US EIA. Retrieved 3 July 2016.