Composition, production and use of natural gas. Leaders in gas production in the world

The article presents current and official data for 2016, based on the provided statistical information from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

Modern human living conditions cannot be imagined without the presence of natural gas as fuel. Environmental friendliness, good thermal conductivity, easy transportability, relatively low price and other positive properties make it indispensable in many areas of human life, industry and the power industry.

World leaders in natural gas production in the world

The main consumers are not geographically located in the regions. This is due to the geographic distribution of industry and electricity, as well as population density in a particular region.

Since the 1970s, the largest volumes of consumption have occurred in three regions of the globe: North America, Foreign Europe and the CIS countries. Of these regions, only the United States of America and Canada can fully supply themselves with the necessary reserves of fuel resources. In other regions, large consumption does not come from their own resources - exports from producing countries predominate.

The diagram shows the main gas production areas in the world, with individual countries taken as the area. In total, all indicators are taken as 100%, not counting the remaining territories, which account for the small size of the development. The unit of measurement in the diagram is billion cubic meters.

In terms of natural gas production, more than 25% of the world belongs to the United States, which occupies a leading position. Second place is occupied by Russia, which accounts for about 20 percent of the total production of the ten leading regions.

The position of countries in the list of leaders in gas production does not at all mean the leadership of these same countries in global fuel trade, that is, export to other regions of the world. For 2016, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries compiled a ranking of states that are export-oriented, of which eight are leading.

The twenty largest gas fields contain about 1,200 billion cubic meters of gas. The geography of areas that are rich in this natural resource is confined to the territories of the following countries of the world:

Russia. 9 of the largest fuel deposits out of 20 are located on the lands of the Russian Federation. Most of them were opened in the 60-80s of the last century. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, three new large deposits were discovered in Russia, which were included in the TOP 20: West Kamchatka, Leningradskoye and Rusanovskoye (read also -).
USA. The subregion contains 4 largest deposits, which were discovered in the mid-1960s and began to be intensively used at the end of the 20th century.
Qatar and Iran. There are two rich places here, one of which simultaneously occupies state lands of Qatar and Iran.
Turkmenistan. There is only one rich place that is among the leaders in gas reserves.
China. One large deposit, which was discovered in 2008 and took tenth place in the TOP-20 states in terms of resource reserves ().
Algeria. The last three lines in the ranking are occupied by Algerian regions. Hassi Mel is the oldest in the country, discovered back in 1957, but until now it is also the largest in Algeria in terms of its reserves. The other two were opened in 2004 and 2006.

The first place in the list of largest fields is occupied by North or South Pars, which is located within two countries at once - Qatar and Iran, as well as in the water area of the Persian oil and gas basin and the Gulf. It was discovered in 1991 and currently its reserves exceed 270 billion cubic meters. The Persian Gulf is a global giant not only in terms of the presence of deposits, but also in terms of production volumes in the Asian oil and gas region.

After the opening of the new Galkynysh place in Turkmenistan in 2006, it took second place in the list of world leaders. It owns 210 billion cubic meters of resource, the deposits of which are located within the Murghab oil and gas basin.

The third place belongs to the Russian Federation, namely the Urengoy region, confined to the West Siberian oil and gas basin. It was discovered in 1996; as of 2016, its reserves amount to 10.2 trillion cubic meters.

Main gas production areas in the world

Below is a map that reflects the geography of the largest gas fields throughout the globe. The main deposits of blue fuel are concentrated within the leading states on an annual basis.

The largest mineral reserves are located within the following deposits on the planet:

Gulf of Mexico and Alaska in the United States of America;
in the Russian Federation, the southern and northern regions of Western Siberia, the territories of the Far East and Sakhalin, the shelves of two seas - the Barents and Kara;
fields located within Iran, Qatar and Saudi Arabia of the Persian Gulf;
the southern regions of Turkmenistan, whose minerals are exported to three countries - Poland, Ukraine and Hungary;
Algeria and Nigeria are the only subregions in Africa with natural gas deposits. The fuel here is of high quality, which does not contain a high content of harmful impurities and slags;
in the Norwegian North Sea. The volumes of natural gas deposits are considered the largest in Europe;
Canadian lands contain several of the largest areas within the island of Newfoundland and the northern provinces, including the shelf of the Western Canadian Basin;
In China, the main gas production areas are concentrated in the Tari Basin

OPEC statistics indicate that with the growing consumption of blue fuel on the planet, the remaining reserves will only last for the next 65 years. All state deposits contain no more than 180 trillion cubic meters of flammable material. More than 120 trillion are fuel reserves that have not yet been explored, since they lie at very great depths in the earth’s crust and are practically inaccessible for global production.

Currently, global gas production covers a fifth of electricity production resources. And also modern industry consumes more than 30% of the produced minerals.

Geographical location of gas deposits

Surface gas seeps are confined to mountainous areas. The release of fossil fuels to the surface occurs in the form of both small bubbles and huge fountains. On water-soaked soil it is easy to notice such small manifestations. Large emissions create mud volcanoes up to several hundred meters.

Before the industrialization of the world, surface gas outlets were quite sufficient. With the increase in gas consumption, there was a need to look for deposits and drill wells. The largest proven reserves of such a valuable mineral are located all over the world.

Since gas is a sedimentary mineral, its deposits should be looked for in mountainous areas, at the bottom of seas and oceans, or in places where seas were located in ancient times.

The first place in terms of gas volumes is occupied by the South Pars/North oil and gas field, which is located in the Persian Gulf. South Pars is under the jurisdiction of Iran, and North Pars is under the jurisdiction of Qatar. Surprisingly huge deposits, despite their very close proximity, are separate deposits of different ages. Their total volume is estimated at 28 trillion cubic meters of gas.

Next on the list in terms of reserves is the Urengoy oil and gas condensate field, located in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug of the Russian Federation. The explored reserves of this giant field amounted to 16 trillion cubic meters. Now these deposits are within 10.2 trillion cubic meters.

The third field is Haynesville, located in the USA. Its volume is 7 trillion m3.

Gas production areas in the world

The largest natural fuel reserves are located in several locations:

Alaska;
Gulf of Mexico (United States of America);
Far East of Russia and the region of western Siberia;
shelves of the Barents and Kara seas;
continental shelves of Latin America;
south of Turkmenistan;
Arabian Peninsula and Iran;
waters of the North Sea;
Canadian provinces;
China.

Leading countries in gas production

About twenty deposits contain the majority of natural resource reserves - about 1,200 billion cubic meters. Several countries produce gas.

Country No. 1

Russian Federation. Blue fuel resources are about 32.6 trillion cubic meters. Russia owns nine of the world's largest gas reserves. The gas industry is the backbone of the Russian economy. More than 60% of reserves are in deposits in Western Siberia, the Volga region, the North Caucasus and the Urals. Gas production – 642.917 billion m3 per year.

Country No. 2

Iran. Gas resources amount to 34 trillion cubic meters - almost a fifth of the world's reserves. Gas production (212.796 billion m3 per year) is concentrated in the northern region of the state and on the shelf of the Persian Gulf. International sanctions have negatively impacted the country's gas industry. Their abolition in 2016 makes it possible to again increase gas production volumes, which makes Iran Russia’s closest competitor in natural fuel production.

The map shows a gas field in Iran

State No. 3

Qatar. Fuel resources – 24.5 trillion cubic meters. The country relatively recently joined the leading exporters of blue fuel. Gas production, amounting to 174.057 billion m3 per year, its processing and supply to international markets began in 1995–1997. Liquefied gas is produced only in the city of Ras Laffan. More than 80% of the extracted minerals are exported.

Country No. 4

Turkmenistan. Gas deposit reserves amount to 17.5 trillion cubic meters. Gas production occurs in the country’s only field – Galkynysh. Most of the minerals are supplied to the European market. In 2006, the state was included in the Nabucco project - gas supplies through a pipeline from the Asian region directly to Europe. But due to regular conflicts in each of the proposed participating countries, the implementation of the project was delayed. In 2013, Nabucco was closed without being built. The Trans-Adriatic gas pipeline has become a priority.

State No. 5

USA. Natural gas reserves amount to 9.8 trillion cubic meters. Gas production occurs in four states of the state: Texas, Oklahoma, Wyoming and Colorado - 729,529. Blue fuel is also extracted from the depths of the continental shelf, but its share in the country’s total volumes is small – only 5%. Gas production is carried out by private companies.

The leaders in natural fuel production are:

ExxonMobil
Chevron
Phillips 66

State No. 6

Saudi Arabia. Deposits of blue fuel are estimated at 8,200 billion cubic meters. OPEC leading country. The Saudi Arabian Oil Company (or Saudi Aramco) is the only national gas producer in Saudi Arabia. Gas production occurs in 70 fields - this is 102.380 billion m3 per year. The largest of them is Tukhman, located in the Rub al-Khali desert, whose reserves are estimated at 1 billion m3.

State No. 7

United Arab Emirates. Explored reserves of blue fuel amount to 6,100 billion cubic meters. The main volumes lie in the emirate of Abu Dhabi (5600 billion m3). The world's largest gas reservoir, Khuff, is also installed in Abu Dhabi. The remaining hydrocarbon deposits are distributed in the emirates of Sharjah (283 thousand million m3), Dubai (113 thousand million m3), and Ras Al Khaimah (34 thousand million m3).

Gas production only slightly exceeds the state's own needs. used in the UAE for electricity production and in the oil industry. The demand for blue fuel is constantly growing due to the constant increase in production rates in industry.

The ADGAS plant is involved in the Nizhny Zakum, Bunduk and Um-Shaif oil fields. This company also exports natural gas. To solve problems with gas production, the Dolphin project was created. Dolphin is a network of gas pipelines connecting the UAE and Qatar.

Country No. 8

Venezuela. Reserves amount to 5,600 billion cubic meters of natural gas, which is almost 3% of world reserves. The main volumes are associated gas with oil. Together with foreign companies, it develops offshore gas fields. Participating in these projects:

Rosneft.
Gazprom.
Lukoil (RF).
CNOOC Ltd (PRC).
Sonatrach (Algeria).
Petronas (Malaysia).

Country No. 9

Nigeria. Approximate fuel reserves are 5100 billion m3. The country is a member of OPEC and produces the largest volumes of gas in Africa. The gas industry is the backbone of the country's economy - more than 90% of the foreign exchange earnings of the Nigerian budget. Moreover, despite high incomes, the state is very poor due to corruption, poorly developed infrastructure and a weak economy based only on the gas industry.

Country No. 10

Algeria. Explored mineral deposits amount to 4,500 billion cubic meters. After the 90s In the 20th century, thanks to increased investment, proven reserves doubled. The largest deposit is Hass-Rmel, followed by Gurd-Nus, Nezla, Wend-Numkr. Algerian gas is of high quality, has a minimal amount of impurities and is not associated with oil. Hydrocarbon production at 83,296 per year.

Country No. 11

Norway. Three quarters of Western European deposits are identified in the North Sea. Volumes are expected to be 765 billion cubic meters. And also mineral deposits of about 47,700 billion cubic meters were found at the North Pole. Norwegian companies were among the first to extract gas using floating drilling rigs.

Country No. 12

Canada. Most of the gas produced is exported - 88.29 thousand million m3, and 62.75 thousand million m3 is consumed by the country itself. The largest deposits are recorded in the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta, as well as on the shelf of the eastern part of the continent near Newfoundland. The main foreign consumer of Canadian hydrocarbons is the United States. At the moment, the states are connected by a gas pipeline.

State No. 13

China. China is one of the leaders in gas production. Most of the volume is consumed by the state itself. Only blue fuel is supplied to international markets. Chinese gas deposits are located in the South China Sea - the Yacheng field, the reserve volume is 350 billion cubic meters. On land, the largest deposit is recorded in the Tarim Basin, whose proven reserves amount to 500 billion cubic meters.

Video: The entire chain of natural gas production and treatment

The article presents current and official data for 2016, based on the provided statistical information from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

In fact, the horizon is not so peaceful for the United States. And, as always, when it comes to energy, the economic fundamentals are as important as the political strategies of the producing countries. When the manufacturing countries meeting in the Trust, particularly Saudi Arabia, decided to keep production levels unchanged at the end of November, everyone was thinking about striking the United States.

Oil and gas are the backbone of the Russian economy and provide more than half of the government revenue available annually to the country under Vladimir Putin's presidency. Foreign operators, fearful of the consequences that free-falling oil could have on the Russian economy, began to reduce their exposure to the country: there was an outflow of capital. The defense of the exchange came at a huge cost in terms of national reserves of foreign gold and foreign currency.

World leaders in natural gas production in the world

The main consumers are not geographically located in the regions. This is due to the geographic distribution of industry and electricity, as well as population density in a particular region.

In all this, Europe can do no more than look on. Russia is the first gas exporter in Italy with a share of 38%. However, given the deterioration of relations with Europe, the situation will soon change. Like the United States, Moscow is also pointing to Asia. And in December, he signed twenty trade agreements with India in the energy sector. In addition, Moscow reached an agreement with the Ankara government to increase gas supplies to Turkey by 3 billion cubic meters. M by strengthening the Blue Stream gas pipeline.

Producing countries in the Middle East and North Africa have always played a key role in meeting the demand of consuming countries, especially Asian and European consumers. And it will continue to be critical, according to the International Energy Agency, with some of the world's largest oil and gas reserves and production costs that remain particularly low. However, even in this case, the geopolitical alignment can quickly change. The Islamic State then took over large parts of Iraq and western Syria, limiting the supply of crude oil and seizing some production on the black market.

Finally, in some countries, a growing share of production may support domestic consumption at the expense of European buyers. Despite the complexity of the political framework, after the deterioration of relations with Russia, Europe and Italy, they are increasingly interested in North Africa. “The energy issue will be more north-south oriented, and this confirms the importance of relations between the European Union and Africa, and between Italy and Algeria,” said Council President Matteo Renzi.

In this context, it increases coal consumption. Despite environmental agreements and proclamations, consumption of these fossil fuels is expected to increase globally. In the future, coal demand may be stimulated by the development of gasification for the production of synthetic gas and hydrocarbons, especially in China.

The position of countries in the list of leaders in gas production does not at all mean the leadership of these same countries in global fuel trade, that is, export to other regions of the world. For 2016, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries compiled a rating of states that are export-oriented, of which eight are leading.

The occasion is wasted, that is, the announcement of a declared death. In a completely unprecedented comparison between voices opposing extractive activities produced and amplified by the media, and nothing opposed to it. Almost the issue was of local importance, and it did not concern the entire country, its economy, its industry, its growth.

Last but not least: his energy security, a term that is so overused that he considers it irrelevant in facts and policy. This is why you can talk about a chronicle of a declared death with a seemingly desirable outcome, where everything seems to play into the hope that a quorum is reached or not. How to bet on the highest card. If this is achieved, it is almost certain to be a victory without triv. For the simple reason that the media, from the mainstream press to public television, disinformation has so far triumphed, arguing the arguments of opponents without saying anything about others.

Russia. 9 of the largest fuel deposits out of 20 are located on the lands of the Russian Federation. Most of them were opened in the 60-80s of the last century. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, three new large deposits were discovered in Russia, which were included in the TOP 20: West Kamchatka, Leningradskoye and Rusanovskoye (read also -).
USA. The subregion contains 4 largest deposits, which were discovered in the mid-1960s and began to be intensively used at the end of the 20th century.
Qatar and Iran. There are two rich places here, one of which simultaneously occupies state lands of Qatar and Iran.
Turkmenistan. There is only one rich place that is among the leaders in gas reserves.
China. One large deposit, which was discovered in 2008 and took tenth place in the TOP-20 states in terms of resource reserves ().
Algeria. The last three lines in the ranking are occupied by Algerian regions. Hassi Mel is the oldest in the country, discovered back in 1957, but until now it is also the largest in Algeria in terms of its reserves. The other two were opened in 2004 and 2006.

The first place in the list of largest fields is occupied by North or South Pars, which is located within two countries - Qatar and Iran, as well as in the water area of the Persian oil and gas basin and the Gulf. It was discovered in 1991 and currently its reserves exceed 270 billion cubic meters. The Persian Gulf is a global giant not only in terms of the presence of deposits, but also in terms of production volumes in the Asian oil and gas region.

There is no reason why any common sense citizen can advocate for activities proclaimed every day - causing irreparable damage to health, nature, area, fisheries, tourism and agriculture. Without this - proclaims every day - there is no benefit for the people or the whole country, because, according to the statement, only the famous multinational oil will win. The fact that this is all just propaganda is irrelevant, nor is the fact that there is no rush to prove that oil or methane extraction is damaging tourism, fishing, agriculture.

As it would be, but it would be more difficult to study the foreign experience of cooperation between the oil industry and French farms, British universities, and Norwegian fishermen. But that doesn't mean anything. Apart from opposing each other among the thousands of mysticisms that are spreading: oil production is ahistorical, since it is now the cornerstone source of the world's energy supply and punishes new renewable resources, while it should be known that the former is used almost exclusively in transport, and the latter - in power generation.

Main gas production areas in the world

Below is a map that reflects the geography of the largest gas fields throughout the globe. The main deposits of blue fuel are concentrated within the leading countries annually.

The same can be said about the risks of irresponsible environmental disasters, taking the case of Macondo in the Gulf of Mexico on our shores. On the other hand, nothing is said about the main issue: preventing the use of domestic oil or methane, preferring to import it, possibly from Libya, by funding militias in the war; means spending billions of euros abroad rather than allocating them to domestic growth; means helping other businesses at the expense of ours. Because fear, like slander, weighs more than any assurance or denial.

The largest mineral reserves are located within the following deposits on the planet:

Gulf of Mexico and Alaska in the United States of America;
in the Russian Federation, the southern and northern regions of Western Siberia, the territories of the Far East and Sakhalin, the shelves of two seas - the Barents and Kara;
fields located within Iran, Qatar and Saudi Arabia of the Persian Gulf;
the southern regions of Turkmenistan, whose minerals are exported to three countries - Poland, Ukraine and Hungary;
Algeria and Nigeria are the only subregions in Africa with natural gas deposits. The fuel here is of high quality, which does not contain a high content of harmful impurities and slags;
in the Norwegian North Sea. The volumes of natural gas deposits are considered the largest in Europe;
Canadian lands contain several of the largest areas within the island of Newfoundland and the northern provinces, including the shelf of the Western Canadian Basin;
In China, the main gas production areas are concentrated in the Tari Basin

Instead, think about this: what will happen if the referendum passes. First: there would be a full political and instrumental reading of the referendum response, regardless of what questions were put to voters. Secondly, because a victory without triva would have the same consequences as nuclear energy: the destruction of an entire industry - electromechanical, in which tens of tens of thousands of employees, a large number of engineers, excellent production skills, scientific and academic knowledge are among the first in the world.

Everything is destroyed: factories, businesses, schools, professionalism. With the victory of the net-trive, we would have the same result: the destruction of another Italian industry, not so much the mining industry, which would not have difficulty moving its investments abroad, but the one that produces goods and services for it. An industry that goes back to the unity of Italy, which is divided into hundreds of companies gathered in the areas of oil services, especially in Lombardy, Emilia Romagna and Abruzzo, which boasts a highly valued technological specialization, with the exception of Italy.

We present to your attention a list of states that produce and export natural gas in huge quantities.
10. Algeria. Gas reserves: 4.5 trillion cubic meters

Algeria ranks 10th in world gas production. The amount of gas in this North African country is 2.5% of world reserves. And half of this number is mined at the Hassi R’Mei deposit, located in the southeast of the country. Gas producing companies such as Total and Shell have been operating in this country for decades. Three plants with 15 production lines are engaged in gas production. Two of them are located in the city of Arzev and one in the city of Skikda.

Yes, the referendum will be its final end. This is the real game at stake: although they are more likely to ignore the general indifference and irresponsibility of those who should look at the interests of the country than at their electoral dividends. America's achievement of energy independence tipped the world's geopolitical balance and contributed to a collapse in oil prices that increased supply, eclipsing demand during the dark years of the recession.

The Shale Gas Revolution The Stars and Stripes miracle is the result of a “revolution” at least twenty years ago and was realized through the massive use of fracturing or hydraulic fracturing techniques. It was Texas engineer George Mitchell who, in the late 1980s, succeeded in making economical production of “shale gas,” natural gas trapped in the microporosity of low-permeability clay rocks, possible by combining two methods: horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, which later proved effective and in unconventional oil production from fields.

9. Nigeria. Gas reserves: 5.1 trillion cubic meters

This country ranks first in gas production on the African continent. Also, it is a member of OPEC. And this despite the fact that Nigeria has a high level of corruption, political instability, a weak economy and poorly developed infrastructure. Nigeria is a very gas-dependent country, with profits from its exports accounting for 95% of its foreign exchange earnings. In 2010, Nigeria became a leading exporter of liquefied natural gas. After all, the volume of this exported natural resource is 21.9 million tons.

This process can be accomplished either by using existing wells, extending their length, or creating new ones, but the enormous potential comes hand in hand with costs that far exceed traditional mine production. Environmental problem. Of water being used in significant quantities even in places where the resource is always scarce, such as Texas, where aquifers are already at risk of depletion. Another problem is pollution: when it begins to produce oil and gas, it also rises to the surface with contaminated waters of natural chemicals in the soil or added.

8. Venezuela. Gas reserves: 5.6 trillion cubic meters

This country's gas reserves account for 2.9% of the world's. But most of them are gas associated with oil. Most of the deposits are located in Norte De Pario (an area north of Trinidad and Tobago). But the gas sector in Venezuela is not very developed, which is holding back its development. The main gas pipelines are owned by PDVSA GAS.

Not only do aquifers that serve residents of the affected area risk poisoning if they are too close to wells. So much so that in Pennsylvania it is no longer possible to search for gas and oil under state forests - two-thirds are located above the Marcellus Shale - or even buried from adjacent private lands, as in the golden age. Bad vibrations All environmental pollution and health risks are reported as the main frequency of earthquakes in crack areas. All of this has an impact on industries, forcing them to invest more to ensure installation safety and gradually reduce the footprint.

7. UAE. Gas reserves: 6.1 trillion cubic meters

Most of this country's gas reserves are located in its capital, Dubai. Oil fields are located there and there is a Khuff gas reserve. In 1977, the first liquefied gas production plant was built in the UAE by ADGAS. Currently, it is engaged in processing natural gas from all oil fields of the country.

With the price of oil below the psychological threshold of $30, oil production is no longer convenient. Weak traders left the market or joined large companies, joining capital and, above all, technology to compete with large companies and try to reduce production costs. Supply is not falling because the efficiency of production processes has increased compared to the past thanks to the drilling site, for example, which allows one number of wells to be drilled from one location.

Or "rephrasing", that is, hydraulically "re-fracturing" well-fractured wells - an operation that allows for a 100% increase in production at very low cost. Not to mention, “unconventional” wells are immune to the “time” factor: they don’t take years to reach peak production and can be started in a few weeks or, if necessary, stop waiting for better prices.

6. Saudi Arabia. Gas reserves: 8.2 trillion cubic meters

All oil and gas fields belong to the only state-owned company in the country - Saudi Aramco. It is a monopolist in this area. In total, there are more than 70 deposits in Saudi Arabia, located in 8 regions of the country. Currently, gas production is accelerating. This is due to economic diversification. The country, which is one of the leaders in the production of this natural resource, plans to increase gas supply to the world market. As for the mixed oil and gas fields, found back in the late 20th century, they are located in the oil fields of Kirkuk. Pure deposits, constituting 1/5 of the country's total reserves, are located in the Gavar oil field.

5. USA. Gas reserves: 9.8 trillion cubic meters

More than half of this country's gas reserves are located in just four states: Texas, Colorado, Wyoming and Oklahoma. Also, about 5% of mineral resources are taken from the continental shelf, which is under the jurisdiction of the US government. The main gas producing companies in the country, which occupies the middle of the top leaders in gas production, are: BP, ExxonMobil.

4. Turkmenistan. Gas reserves: 17.5 trillion cubic meters

Natural gas is an integral part of the economy of Turkmenistan, which is one of the leaders in the production of this mineral. After all, most of the country’s reserves are spent on its export. All gas is produced in one field - Galkynysh. According to experts, it contains more than 25 trillion cubic meters. Several years ago, plans included a project to build the Nabucco pipe. But he died due to the fault of the country's government. And high hopes were placed on him.

3. Qatar. Gas reserves: 24.5 trillion cubic meters

All liquefied gas production plants are located in one city in Qatar - Ras Laffan. The first plant was built in 1996, and gas supplies began a year later. Almost 85% of the total gas produced is supplied to European, Asian and North American markets. This became possible thanks to the favorable geographical location of the country, which took bronze in the ranking of leading states in gas production.

2. Russia. Gas reserves: 32.6 trillion cubic meters

Gas export is the most important part of the economy of Russia - the leader in production in this area. The natural resource is mined in Western Siberia (Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug), the Urals, the Lower Volga region and the North Caucasus. Gas reserves account for more than 60% of all Russian resources. The natural resource is transported through the Unified Gas Supply System and a network of gas pipelines more than 140 thousand km long. The gas producer is the monopolist Gazprom, which provides 95% of the natural resource from all production in the country.

The article presents current and official data for 2016, based on the provided statistical information from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Modern human living conditions cannot...

The recent lifting of sanctions on Iran will lead to the emergence of another major seller in the gas market. But even without this country, there are enough states that extract and export natural resources in huge quantities. Let's remember, which countries are the leaders in gas production? In the context of current world politics, this information is more relevant than ever.

10

AlgeriaGas reserves: 4.5 trillion cubic meters

Algeria ranks 10th in world gas production. The amount of gas in this North African country is 2.5% of world reserves. And half of this number is mined at the Hassi R’Mei deposit, located in the southeast of the country. Gas producing companies such as Total and Shell have been operating in this country for decades.
Three plants with 15 production lines are engaged in gas production. Two of them are located in the city of Arzev and one in the city of Skikda.

9

NigeriaGas reserves: 5.1 trillion cubic meters

8

Venezuela Gas reserves: 5.6 trillion cubic meters

The gas reserves of this country, which ranks 8th in the list of leaders in mineral extraction, amount to 2.9% of the world's. But most of them are gas associated with oil. Most of the deposits are located in Norte De Pario (an area north of Trinidad and Tobago). But the gas sector in Venezuela is not very developed, which is holding back its development. The main gas pipelines are owned by PDVSA GAS.

7

UAE Gas reserves: 6.1 trillion cubic meters

6

Saudi ArabiaGas reserves: 8.2 trillion cubic meters

All oil and gas fields belong to the only state-owned company in the country - Saudi Aramco. It is a monopolist in this area. In total, there are more than 70 deposits in Saudi Arabia, located in 8 regions of the country. Currently, gas production is accelerating. This is due to economic diversification. The country, which is one of the leaders in the production of this natural resource, plans to increase gas supply to the world market.
As for the mixed oil and gas fields, found back in the late 20th century, they are located in the oil fields of Kirkuk. Pure deposits, constituting 1/5 of the country's total reserves, are located in the Gavar oil field.

5

USA Gas reserves: 9.8 trillion cubic meters

4

TurkmenistanGas reserves: 17.5 trillion cubic meters

Natural gas is an integral part of the economy of Turkmenistan, which is one of the leaders in the production of this mineral. After all, most of the country’s reserves are spent on its export. All gas is produced in one field - Galkynysh. According to experts, it contains more than 25 trillion cubic meters.
Several years ago, plans included a project to build the Nabucco pipe. But he died due to the fault of the country's government. And high hopes were placed on him.

3

QatarGas reserves: 24.5 trillion cubic meters

2

RussiaGas reserves: 32.6 trillion cubic meters

Gas export is the most important part of the economy of Russia - the leader in production in this area. The natural resource is mined in Western Siberia (Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug), the Urals, the Lower Volga region and the North Caucasus. Gas reserves account for more than 60% of all Russian resources.
The natural resource is transported through the Unified Gas Supply System and a network of gas pipelines more than 140 thousand km long.
The gas producer is the monopolist Gazprom, which provides 95% of the natural resource from all production in the country.

1

IranGas reserves: 34 trillion cubic meters

All fields are located in the north of the country, which ranks first in gas production in the world, and on the shelf near the Persian Gulf. Foreign (French, Chinese, Belarusian) investors who came to the country back in the late 90s are working on the extraction of natural resources. True, they stopped their activities for a time when sanctions were introduced against Iran, but it seems that they can now return to the market again.
The country's authorities plan to increase gas production to 1 billion cubic meters per day by 2017. Iran's total reserves account for 18% of the world's reserves.

Natural gas, being the cleanest type of fossil fuel, is widely used as fuel in residential buildings for heating, water heating and cooking, as well as fuel for cars, boiler houses and thermal power plants. The leading positions in gas production are occupied by Russia and the United States, while they have repeatedly changed places, alternately regaining leadership. Gas, located in microscopic voids, is extracted from the bowels of the earth using wells. Under normal conditions (101.325 kPa and 0 C), natural gas is only in the gaseous state, but it can also be in the crystalline state.

Our list of world gas producing countries is based on OPEC's annual statistical bulletin. British Petroleum also publishes the annual Statistical Review of World Energy. At the same time, despite the discrepancies in the data of gas produced (for example, according to OPEC, the United States produced 751.063 billion cubic meters in 2017, according to British Petroleum, 749.2), the first 9 leading countries coincide. The situation is more complicated with 10th place: the first claim that it is Turkmenistan with 81.765 billion cubic meters/year, the second name Australia with 91.2 billion cubic meters/year.

1. USA (751 billion cubic meters/year)

The subsoil of North America, where this country is located, has large reserves of natural gas and oil. As of 2013, 383 natural gas wells were operating in the United States, 38 oil and gas basins are located on its territory, and 14 more promise to become them. The enormous natural gas reserves of the United States are estimated at 10.44 trillion cubic meters, which is 5.2% of all world reserves. The Americans have especially advanced in shale gas production, meaning such large fields as Point Thomson and Marcellus in Alaska and Haynesville.
5% of gas is produced on the North American continental shelf (in that part of it that is under American jurisdiction). The main gas producing enterprises in the United States are Exxon Mobil and BP, they are in the top ten similar companies in the world.

2. Russia (642 billion cubic meters/year)

Russia is located in most of Eastern Europe and the entire north of Asia. Its vast territory contains huge reserves of natural hydrocarbons. 47.8 trillion cubic meters of these resources are already classified as proven, representing approximately 24% of the world's reserves. In the economy of modern Russia, natural gas export has become a priority.
9 of the largest gas fields are located in this country. Over 60% of gas reserves are located in Western Siberia (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug), the North Caucasus, the Volga region and the Urals. The extracted gas is transmitted through a unified gas supply system; the length of the gas pipeline network is over 140,000 km. Gas production is monopolized by Gazprom, which accounts for 95% of all production of this resource in the country.

3. Iran (227 billion cubic meters/year)

The Islamic Republic of Iran is located in Western Asia. It also boasts huge reserves of hydrocarbon resources. The huge South Pars gas field is located on the coastal shelf in the Persian Gulf, and in total this country has almost 17% of the world's gas reserves. After the lifting of international sanctions in the country, the production of blue fuel sharply increased and its sales market expanded. Agreements were reached with Iraq on the supply of Iranian gas to the capital of the neighboring country, Baghdad. Over the past year, Iran's gas exports have increased by 5 million cubic meters.
There are other hydrocarbon deposits in Iran: the Kengan gas condensate field, the Sardar Milli oil and gas field, the Foroz, Khangiran and Khayyam gas fields, in addition, the Pre-Zagros oil and gas region.

4. Qatar (183 billion cubic meters/year)

The Emirate of Qatar is located on the peninsula of the same name, which is part of the vast Arabian Peninsula. Proven reserves of natural gas controlled by this state amount to 24.5 trillion cubic meters or 12.2% of world gas reserves. Little Qatar has become the richest state thanks to the gigantic Northern field - if it is pumped out at the current speed, it will last for 135 years. Gas production in the country is managed by the state-owned Qatar Petroleum company, which, after the lifting of the moratorium introduced in 2005, increased both LNG production and exports.

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5. Canada (174 billion cubic meters/year)

Canada is the northern neighbor of the United States, and in its depths there are also considerable reserves of natural gas. There is more than one gas-bearing basin on its territory, the largest of which is in the province of Alberta. The following deposits have been explored and exploited on the territory of the latter: Pembina Forks, Rainbow Lake, Medicine Hat. In the province of Nunavut, gas production is carried out at the Christopher Bay field, and in British Columbia, at the Taylor field.

6. China (137 billion cubic meters/year)

China is located in east and southeast Asia. Its territory is also rich in natural hydrocarbon fuels. The most famous gas fields include: the Clamely gas field, the Liuhua and Yacheng offshore gas condensate fields, and the Changbei, Sulige and Shiugou-Dongxi gas fields.

7. Norway (120 billion cubic meters/year)

Norway is located in the north of the Scandinavian Peninsula and owns numerous islands, including the Spitsbergen archipelago. Norway is also located above rich oil and gas fields. The largest gas reserves have been explored in the Frigg (225 billion cubic meters), Oseberg (60 billion cubic meters) and Troll (1287 billion cubic meters) fields.

8. Saudi Arabia (111 billion cubic meters/year)

Saudi Arabia occupies almost the entire Arabian Peninsula, in the sands of which huge reserves of gas and oil are hidden. In 2007, a new Tukhman deposit was discovered in the Rub al-Khali desert, located at great depths (over 5 km). According to initial calculations, there are about a billion cubic meters of gas in Tukhman.
The Saudis also own a large offshore oil and gas field in the Persian Gulf, located at depths of 1.5 to 3 km. According to geologists, about 1 billion cubic meters of gas are also hidden in Gavar. In total, Saudi Arabia's blue fuel reserves are estimated at 8.5 trillion cubic meters, that is, 4.2% of world reserves. The basis of the country’s economic power is the state corporation Saudi Aramco, which has a monopoly on the production and processing of hydrocarbons. An economic transformation plan has been adopted here, according to which by 2020 natural gas production should increase to 504 million cubic meters.

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9. Algeria (93 billion cubic meters/year)

Algeria is located in northern Africa, most of it is occupied by the Sahara Desert, in the depths of which huge reserves of gas and oil are also hidden. In 2009, another gas condensate field, Ain-Tsila, was discovered there, in which gas is located at a depth of 1.5-2 kilometers. The total proven gas reserves in this country are 4.5 trillion cubic meters or 2.2% of world reserves. Gas production is also underway at the Hassi-R'Mel field. All production is controlled by the Sonatrak state corporation; it also owns the production lines and the liquefied gas production itself, located in the cities of Skikda and Arzev.

10. Turkmenistan (82 billion cubic meters/year)

Turkmenistan is located in Central Asia and has two oil and gas regions on its territory: the South Caspian oil and gas basin and the Turan oil and gas province. They collectively contain more than 220 oil, gas, condensate and oil and gas fields. In total, 7.5 trillion cubic meters of gas have been explored in the country (3.7% of world reserves).
The main one is the Galkynysh deposit, followed by South Yolotan. Turkmenistan exports most of its gas to China, while Turkmens have to pay part of the proceeds to China as loan repayments. The country's economy is unstable, almost entirely dependent on the export of energy resources, so the government of Turkmenistan intends to increase gas production several times, bringing it to 230 billion cubic meters.