List of countries by natural gas proven reserves

This list is based on the CIA World Factbook (when no citation is given).^[1] or other authoritative third-party sources (as cited). Based on data from EIA, at the start of 2021, proven gas reserves were dominated by three countries: Iran, Russia, and Qatar.

Trends in the five countries with largest proven reserves of natural gas, according to the US Energy Information Administration

Countries by natural gas proven reserves (2014), based on data from CIA The World Factbook

Countries by natural gas and oil proven reserves (2015)

World natural gas proven reserves 1960–2012 (OPEC)

There is some disagreement on which country has the largest proven gas reserves. Sources that consider that Russia has by far the largest proven reserves include the US CIA (47600 cubic kilometers),^[2] the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) (49000 km³),^[3] and OPEC (48810 km³).^[4] However, BP credits Russia with only 32900 km³,^[5] which would place it in second place, slightly behind Iran (33100 to 33800 km³, depending on the source).

Due to constant announcements of shale gas recoverable reserves, as well as drilling in Central Asia, South America and Africa, deepwater drilling, estimates are undergoing frequent updates, mostly increasing. Since 2000, some countries, notably the US and Canada, have seen large increases in proved gas reserves due to development of shale gas, but shale gas deposits in most countries are yet to be added to reserve calculations.

Data

* indicates "Natural gas in COUNTRY or TERRITORY" or "Natural resources of COUNTRY or TERRITORY" links.

Proven Reserves (km³)

Country	U.S. EIA (2021)^[6]	OPEC (start of 2018)^[7]	BP (end of 2020)^[8]	Other	Production km³/year (2021)^[9]	Years of production in reserve^[10]
Russia *	47,800	50,617	37,400		701.55	68.1
Iran *	34,000	33,810	32,100		248.3	140
Qatar *	23,900	23,861	24,700		169.0	141
United States *	17,710^[11]	9,067	12,600		977.44	18.1
Turkmenistan *	10,000	9,838	13,600		87.02	100
Saudi Arabia *	9,430	8,715	6,000		115.6	81.6
China *	6,650	2,934	8,400		212.0	31.4
United Arab Emirates *	6,090	6,091	5,900		63.77	95.5
Venezuela *	6,000	5,707	6,300		15.9	400
Nigeria *	5,750	5,627	5,500	5,932^[12]	44.40	130
Algeria *	4,500	4,504	2,300		102.1	44.1
Iraq *	3,740	3,744	3,500		10.7	350
Australia *	3,230	3,173	2,400		147.1	22
Mozambique *	3,000				5.35	600
Kazakhstan *	2,400	1,898	2,300		20.0	120
Canada *	2,100	2,059	2,400		182.2	12
Azerbaijan *	2,000	1,227	2,500		31.38	60
Uzbekistan *	1,800	1,564	800		49.70	36
Egypt *	1,800	2,221	2,100		69.43	26
Kuwait *	1,800	1,784	1,700		21.3	85
Norway *	1,600	2,314	1,400		115.1	14
Libya	1,500	1,505	1,400		14.6	100
India *	1,400	1,289	1,300		32.3	43
Malaysia *	1,200	2,909	900		70.99	17
Ukraine *	1,100	304	1,100		18.9	58
Indonesia *	1,000	2,866	1,300		58.96	20
Senegal			1,000
Vietnam *	710	203	600		7.02	100
Oman *	650	884	700		39.19	17
Myanmar *	650	273	400		16.3	40
Pakistan *	590	757	400		33.39	18
Yemen *	480		300		0.12	4,000
Argentina *	400	381	400		40.44	10
Brazil *	370	325	300		23.8	16
Angola *	340	422			5.86	58
Peru *	310	513	261		12	26
Trinidad and Tobago *	310	433	290		25.7	12
Bolivia *	310	310	213		15.5	20
Congo *	300	111			0.42	700
Brunei *	260	252	222		11.4	23
Syria *	240	300	269		3.26	74
Papua New Guinea *	180		163		11.4	16
Mexico	180	146	178		23.9	7.5
United Kingdom *	180	269	187		32.48	5.5
Israel *	180		589	900	17.7	10
Thailand *	140	180	143		36.36	3.9
Equatorial Guinea *	140	145			5.83	24
Cameroon *	140	152			2.3	61
Netherlands *	130	804	130		21.6	6.0
Bangladesh *	130	346	110	^[13] 385	23.9	5.4
Romania *	100	105	78		9.32	10
Philippines *	99				3	10
Chile *	99	5.30			1.4	71
Poland *	91	56.3	72.2		5.64	16
Colombia *	88	104	86		11.4	7.7
Bahrain *	82		64.8		18.6	2.8
Sudan *	80				0	-
Cuba *	71				0.91	78
Tunisia *	65				1.4	46
Namibia *	62				0	-
Rwanda *	60				0.06	1,000
Afghanistan *	51				0.079	650
Serbia *	48				0.40	120
Italy *	45	27.1	100		3.20	14
New Zealand *	31				4.13	7.5
Ivory Coast *	30				2.5	10
Mauritania *	30				0	-
Denmark *	30	73.9	100		1.2	20
Gabon *	30	25.5			0.45	70
Croatia	30				0.82	40
Ethiopia *	30				0	-
Germany	20	39.6	100		4.98	4
Ghana	20				2.92	7
Japan *	20				2.4	8
Moldova	-			^[14] 20	0.006 (2019)	3,333
Slovakia	10				0.062	200
Uganda	10				0	-
Ecuador	10	5.4			0.31	30
Ireland *	10				1.6	6
Georgia	8	8.5			0.01	800
South Korea *	8				0.05	200
France	8				0.02	400
Austria	6				1.2	5
Tanzania *	6				1.3	5
Taiwan *	6				0.091	70
Jordan *	6				0.19	30
Bulgaria	6				0.037	200
Somalia *	6				0	-
Tajikistan *	6				0.02	300
Kyrgyzstan	6				0.02	300
Albania	6				0.059	100
South Africa *	-			^[15] 3	1.1	2.7
Turkey *	3			720^TPAO estimate	0.40	8
Czech Republic	3				0.20	20
Belarus *	3				0.074	40
Hungary *	3				1.5	2
Spain	2.55				0.048	53
Morocco *	1.44	474		39 ^[16]	0.12	12
Benin	1.13				0	-
DR Congo	0.99				0	-
Greece	0.99				0.06	200
Barbados	0.11				0.01	10
Armenia *	0	18.0
World	205,500 (2020)				4,083.09	50.33

Comparison of proven natural gas reserves from different sources (cubic kilometers, as of 31 December 2014/1 January 2015)

Source	Canada	Iran	Russia	Saudi Arabia	United States	Venezuela
BP^[17]	2,000	34,000	32,800	8,200	9,800	5,600
OPEC^[18]	2,028	34,020	49,541	8,489	9,580	5,617
U.S. Energy Information Administration^[19]	2,535	42,426	59,619	10,393	10,441	6,960

See also

• List of countries by natural gas production
• List of countries by proven oil reserves
• List of natural gas fields

References

1. . Retrieved June 2014.
2. . Retrieved 1 December 2013.
3. US Energy Information Administration, [1]^{[permanent dead link]}. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
4. OPEC, Table 3.2 Natural gas proven reserves by country 27 February 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
5. BP, BP Statistical Review of World Energy, June 2013. 6 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine
6. U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics, accessed 17 Jan. 2019.
7. OPEC, Annual Statistical Bulletin 2018
8. BP, Statistical Review of World Energy, June 2022.
9. "International - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)". www.eia.gov. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
10. (EIA Reserves and Production)
11. "Proved reserves of U.S. natural gas increased by 152.1 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) (32%), from 473.3 Tcf at year-end 2020 to 625.4 Tcf at year-end 2021". 30 December 2022.
12. "Nigeria's gas reserve hits 209.5tcf". 2 March 2022.
13. "Bapex pins hopes on new gas field in Bhola".
14. ENI, World Gas and Renewables Review, 2018.
15. ENI, World Gas and Renewables Review, 2018.
16. "Morocco, a future major gas exporter in Africa". 28 February 2023.
17. BP Statistical Review of World Energy, 2015
18. OPEC Statistical Bulletin, 2015.
19. International Data: Natural Gas Reserves, US EIA. Retrieved 3 July 2016.