Search

The authors have made an estimate of global oil and gas potential, using methods applicable to such estimates in the USSR, and then have differentiated the resources on the basis of production costs. The geological resources of oil in foreign (excluding socialist) countries are estimated at approximately 1.2 trillion tons. Of this quantity, about 473 billion tons are technically extractable (not allowing for costs). At the beginning of 1984, the current (residual) extractable resources were about 415 billion tons, of which 35% applied to resources of exploitable deposits, including 20% in proven reserves. Of the total amount of current extractable reserves of oil, about 36% constituted resources which may be exploited with costs of up to $45 per ton (US), including 22% with costs of less than $10 per ton. The gas potential of foreign countries (except socialist) has been estimated at 565 trillion m/sup 3/. Of this, about 350 trillion m/sup 3/ are technically extractable (without consideration of cost). At the beginning of 1984, the current gas resources were 318 trillion m/sup 3/, of which 17% were confined to exploitable deposits. More than half of the gas resources which may be exploited at costs not greater than $10/1000 m/supmore » 3/ (US), have already been discovered. Again, 47 trillion m/sup 3/ may be exploited at costs of $10-45/1000 m/sup 3/ and 19 trillion m/sup 3/ at $45-80/1000 m/sup 3/, that is, a total of 112 trillion m/sup 3/, of which about 48% are concentrated in already-discovered deposits. About 206 trillion fall in the category of very expensive gas. These are as yet mainly undiscovered resources in remote, polar, and deepwater regions. 4 references.« less