gasreservers

Gasreservers are quantities of natural gas that are known to exist and can be extracted and marketed under current technical and economic conditions. They are distinguished from broader gas resources, which include undiscovered, uneconomic, or technically unrecoverable portions. Estimates of gas reserves are updated as new data become available, technology advances, and prices change.

Reserves are commonly classified by confidence levels. Proved reserves (1P) have the highest certainty of being recoverable under existing economic conditions. Probable reserves (2P) combine proved plus a lower level of confidence, while possible reserves (3P) include yet lower confidence. A common metric is the reserve life index, calculated as reserves divided by annual production, which indicates how long supply could last at current rates.

Measurement uses volume or energy terms, with units such as trillion cubic meters (tcm) or trillion cubic feet (tcf). Conversions exist between units, and energy content can be used for comparative analysis. Economic recoverability depends on prices, technology, geology, and infrastructure, meaning that reserves are not a fixed stock but a dynamic estimate.

Reserves influence energy security, investment decisions, and policy planning. They drive exploration, development projects, and the construction of pipelines and liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities. Environmental and regulatory factors, along with geopolitical considerations, also affect the pace of development and access to reserves. Data on gas reserves are published by national agencies and international organizations, which regularly revise estimates as new information becomes available.