The Potential Gas Committee has estimated the US natural gas resource base was 1,258 tcf at the end of 2000, and if all of it is developed, it would equal 63 years of supply at current production rates.
That represents an increase of 4.5% from the committee's last analysis, in 1998.
The American Gas Association said the size of the resource base is immaterial unless producers are given access to the supplies and pipelines can be built to deliver them.
Roger Cooper, AGA executive vice-president, said, "All the increases in the world don't add up to much if we can't transport those supplies to market. It's vital to gain greater access to our tremendous resource base, expand our pipeline delivery system, and support development of energy-efficient technologies."
US estimates
The study used the US Department of Energy's estimate of 167.4 tcf of proved reserves in the US. Probable resources (current fields) had 207 tcf, possible resources (new fields) 332.2, and speculative resources (frontier) 397.8, for a total of 935.8 of traditional resources.
Probable coalbed methane resources were 16.3 tcf, possible 54.3, and speculative 84.6, for a total of 155.2 tcf.
Changes in the comparison of resource estimates between 1998 and 2000 stemmed mainly from analysis of new data for the Gulf Coast, Midcontinent, Rocky Mountain, and Pacific regions (see figure, this page).
Excluding proved reserves, the study estimated 1,091 tcf in traditional resources and 155 tcf in coalbed methane resources. Compared with the last report 2 years ago, the traditional resources increased 4.4% and the coalbed methane resources 9.7%. Those increases came even though 38 tcf of gas was produced during the period.
Committee background, methodology
The report was prepared by the Potential Gas Agency, which received technical assistance from the Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colo.
John B. Curtis, PGA director, said, "The 2000 assessment reaffirms the committee's evaluation of an abundant US natural gas resource potential."
For the first time, the PGC report discussed gas resources in Canada and Mexico, "in recognition that North America is becoming a single market for natural gas."
The committee is funded by AGA, the Gas Technology Institute, and other sources. The panel consists of 147 volunteers from the industry, government agencies, and academic institutions.
The committee reports gas resource estimates biennially, with each category assigned a minimum, most likely, and maximum potential resource volume for each of 89 geological provinces. The mean values shown in the figure and table were calculated by statistical aggregation of the minimum, most likely, and maximum values for each category.
