The Potential Gas Committee reports little overall change in the large U.S. gas resource base the past two years.
The volunteer group estimated the resource base at Dec. 31, 1994, at 723.3 tcf, up less than 1% net of production from its yearend 1992 estimate (OGJ, June 21, 1993, p. 24). The figures are the sum of the committees most likely estimates of probable, possible, and speculative traditional resources (69722 bytes). Proved reserves are not included.
In addition, it estimated a national coalbed methane resource of 134.2 tcf, down 0.6% from 1992.
PGCs conventional and coalbed methane resource estimates, when added to the U.S. Energy Information Administrations figure of 163.8 tcf of dry gas reserves, yields a total gas future supply of 1.021 quadrillion cu ft, about 56 years supply, compared with 1.019 quadrillion cu ft at the time of PGCs last report.
Most likely possible resources are a most likely 254 tcf of gas plus 38.2 tcf of coalbed methane. And speculative resources are 292.9 tcf of gas and 83.2 tcf of coalbed methane.
PGC estimated the Gulf Coast had 49.4 tcf of probable resources and 84.4 tcf of speculative at yearend 1994.
The committee said overall speculative estimates for the Texas-Louisiana shelf and slope have declined since 1986 despite very large increases in speculative estimates since 1992 due to the interest in subsalt trends.
PGCs Midcontinent area had 34.7 tcf of probable resources and 32.9 tcf of speculative gas plus 380 bcf probable and 7.28 tcf speculative of coalbed methane.
The committee reduced or moved toward speculative various categories of gas in the Arkoma, Anadarko, and Permian basins.
The Rocky Mountain area had 34.35 tcf probable and 22.9 tcf speculative, plus 11.1 bcf probable and 13.66 tcf speculative of coalbed methane. Alaska estimates are 33.65 tcf probable and 80.7 tcf speculative.
The Atlantic area estimates are 20.35 tcf probable and 45.5 tcf speculative, plus 1.3 tcf probable and 1.55 tcf speculative of coal gas.
The Pacific area had 1.87 tcf probable and 13.9 tcf speculative, and the North Central area had 1.8 tcf probable and 12.59 tcf speculative.
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