Global natural gas proved reserves 1960-2023

Global proved natural gas reserves amounted to some 206 trillion standard cubic meters in 2023. Since 1960, continued growth in the exploration & production industry has resulted in the combined volume of known reserves increasing more than ten-fold, surpassing 200 trillion cubic meters in 2011. 

Natural gas reserves by region and country

Proved reserves indicate the amount of a resource that can be produced economically under current prices and available technologies. Reserves can change annually with new discoveries and thorough appraisal of existing fields. The majority of the world’s natural gas reserves are located in the Middle East. Russia is the country with the largest share of global natural gas reserves.

Natural gas production in the U.S.

The United States has experienced a relatively large surge in proved natural gas reserves, reaching record numbers from the 2010s onward. Most of these new reserves have been found in shale deposits in Pennsylvania, Western Virginia, and Texas. The U.S. has also increased production output due to increased use of hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) and horizontal drilling. U.S. shale gas production is forecast to grow even further in the coming decades and reach nearly 35 trillion cubic feet by 2050.