World leaders in natural gas production in the world. Leading countries in gas production


Billion m3	share in world production	per 1 resident, m3
world, total	2141,7	2691,6	100,0	100,0
Russia	555,4	589,1	25,9	21,9
USA	534,3	542,9	24,9	20,2
Canada	158,7	182,8	7,4	6,8
Great Britain	70,8	95,9	3,3	3,6
Iran	35,3	85,5	1,6	3,2
Algeria	58,7	82,0	2,7	3,0
Norway	27,8	78,5	1,3	2,9
Indonesia	63,4	73,3	3,0	2,7
Netherlands	67,0	68,8	3,1	2,6
Saud. Arabia	42,9	64,0	2,0	2,4
Uzbekistan	45,3	55,8	2,1	2,1
Turkmenistan	30,1	54,6	1,4	2,0

Coal production is characterized by a reduction in production in the oldest regions of development of its deposits, which is associated with the depletion of relatively available reserves and a sharp increase in the cost of the mine mining method (Table.

Leading countries in gas production

5). The once largest exporters of coal - Great Britain and Germany - have become its importers. About 65% of coal production is used to generate electricity. The rest goes mainly to ferrous metallurgy.

In the structure of electricity production, over 60% comes from thermal power plants, about 20% from nuclear power plants, and 18% from hydroelectric power plants. Specific gravity alternative sources (wind, geothermal, solar, tidal power plants) is approximately 1%. Approximately 22% of the world's electricity comes from the United States, 16% from the EU, and another 14% from China. At the same time, of the total volume of electricity generated by nuclear power plants, more than 35% comes from the EU (primarily France and Germany), 30% from the USA, 10% from Japan and 5% from Russia. In the production of hydroelectric power, Canada and China (12% each), Brazil (11%), the USA (9%) and Russia (6%) stand out.

Table 5 The world's largest coal producers
(in terms of oil equivalent)


Million T	share in world production	per 1 resident, t
world, total	2218,2	2732,1	100,0	100,0	0,4
China	650,9	989,8	29,3	36,2	0,8
USA	550,7	567,2	24,8	20,8	1,9
Australia	129,5	199,4	5,8	7,3	8,9
India	135,2	188,8	6,1	6,9	0,2
South Africa	116,9	136,9	5,3	5,0	2,9
Russia	118,5	127,6	5,3	4,7	0,9
Indonesia	25,7	81,4	1,2	3,0	0,4
Poland	91,1	69,8	4,1	2,6	1,8
Germany	74,6	54,7	3,4	2,0	0,7
Kazakhstan	42,6	44,4	1,9	1,6	3,0
Ukraine	44,2	41,9	2,0	1,5	0,9

Thus, the production and consumption of energy resources in the world is distributed unevenly across groups of countries and regions (Table 6). Thus, OECD countries account for almost 60% of world oil consumption and only 25% of its production. EU countries account for 8% of world gas production and 17% of its consumption.

Enterprises metallurgical complex are increasingly concentrated in newly developed and newly industrialized countries, as well as in China, which became the world leader in the iron and steel industry in the mid-1990s. (see Table 7). In the ferrous metallurgy of developed countries, the production of traditional types of products is decreasing, but at the same time the production of high-quality metals and complex types of rolled products is expanding. The volume of steel production (including per capita), which until relatively recently served as one of the main indicators of the level of economic development, has largely lost its significance. This is explained, first of all, by a decrease in the overall metal intensity of production and increased requirements for metal quality.

Table 6

Natural gas production

Natural gas is one of the non-renewable minerals. According to one of the most popular theories, they are formed during a long process of anaerobic decomposition of living organisms in the soil under the influence of high temperature and pressure. The extracted raw materials contain methane, butane, ethane, propane and other compounds. Natural gas is odorless and colorless. In Russia, mining and processing of this mineral began about 200 years ago. At first, gas was considered by-product oil production (both types of fuel usually lie next to each other). However, subsequently they began to extract these minerals separately.

Gas fields

Russian Federation has the largest gas reserves in the world. The United States is considered to have the second largest reserves of this mineral. Following it are some countries from the post-Soviet space (Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan) and states located in the Persian Gulf. Production natural gas is carried out all over the world. Moreover, the development of blue fuel deposits is not limited to land areas. It is actively mined from the seabed. In Russia, gas fields are mainly located behind the Ural Mountains. They are also found in the North Caucasus and the Black Sea. The largest reserves of blue fuel were found in the following deposits:

Urengoyskoe. It is located in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. This field is the second in the world in terms of natural gas reserves.
Nakhodkinskoe. This deposit also belongs to the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Its development began in 2004. It is estimated that its gas reserves reach 275 billion cubic meters.
Angaro Lenskoye. Located in the Irkutsk region. Exploration data indicates that about 1.4 trillion cubic meters have accumulated in the field. gas
Kovyktinskoe. Located near Irkutsk. It is one of the most difficult deposits in terms of production, since part of the territory is covered with a layer of permafrost. According to preliminary estimates, about 2 trillion cubic meters lie here. gas and approximately 120 million tons of liquid condensate.
Shtokman. Another deposit that belongs to the largest category. It is located approximately 600 km from Murmansk and includes about 3.8 trillion cubic meters. gas Due to the great depth of mineral deposits, mining at this deposit is not yet underway.

All large and most small fields in the Russian Federation belong to Gazprom. The gas monopolist, which produces and processes more than 74% of all Russian fuel reserves, occupies a 20% share of the world market. In addition to its main tasks, Gazprom is also carrying out gasification of the country.

Gas exploration and production methods

Before the start of production, geological exploration of the territory where there may be deposits of blue fuel is carried out.

They make it possible to determine approximate gas reserves and the prospects for field development.

World natural gas market. Dossier

Area reconnaissance is carried out using one of the following methods:

Gravitational. During which experts evaluate the gravity of rocks. The presence of gas is indicated by areas of lower density.
Magnetic. It is based on the different magnetic permeability of rocks.
Seismic. Such geological exploration involves the use of special equipment that sends waves of various lengths through the earth's layers and picks up the reflected echo.
Geochemical. Groundwater is being studied to determine the level of concentration of certain chemical compounds in it.
Drilling. It is considered the most precise method geological exploration. However, drilling is also the most expensive way to explore deposits.

There are several fairly effective methods for extracting natural gas. These include:

One of the most basic areas is, of course, drilling. Natural gas fills many voids in the earth's rocks, connecting with each other through channels. When drilling a well, fuel begins to rise upward under natural pressure. To ensure uniform production, the well itself is created in the form of a “ladder”, and its walls are strengthened with casing pipes.
Hydraulic fracturing. This method also involves drilling wells into which a large number of water or air flow. This approach allows you to destroy the partitions formed in the rock, allowing all the gas to escape under pressure.
Underwater mining. Underwater gas production is carried out from special platforms, the concrete base of which rests on the bottom. It is in the latter that the columns through which wells are drilled and tanks for temporary fuel storage are built. The gas is then sent through a pipeline to land, where it is processed in the traditional way.

The extracted gas contains a wide variety of impurities. Therefore, it is sent to a special station, which is usually built next to the field. It is necessary to process fossils because it is necessary to remove impurities and various inclusions such as sand and water from them.

Subsequently, the blue fuel is sent for storage. To do this, it is pre-cooled to a temperature of -160 degrees and filled with containers made of aluminum alloys or steel. Most gas storage facilities are built underground.

To transport gas to end consumers and for export deliveries, special main pipelines are used, through which gas is supplied to gas distribution stations, where pressure is reduced, but also an odorant (ethyl mercaptan) is added, a substance that gives the gas a characteristic odor and helps prevent unnoticed gas leakage.

Today, gas production is one of the most important industries in Russia. It forms a significant part of the country's budget.

Iran, United Arab Emirates, Russia, Algeria, Venezuela, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq and Turkmenistan. What do this group of countries have in common? The answer is simple: huge proven reserves of minerals, the revenues from which generously fill the national budgets of these states, “blue gold” - natural gas.

No. 1. Russian Federation.

In the post-Soviet space, Russia (Urengoy field) and Turkmenistan have huge reserves of natural gas, and they also have significant natural gas fields of their own: Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan (Karachaganak field).

Russia's share in the global gas production market is more than 18% (1st place), its share of the world's proven natural gas reserves is 25% (of which 95% is in the Arctic). In terms of oil reserves, Russia’s position is more modest: 5.3% of world oil reserves (8th place on the planet, of which 60% are in the Arctic) .

The Urengoy natural gas field is the 3rd largest in the world (total geological reserves are 16 trillion m³ of natural gas).
Location: Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Tyumen Region of the Russian Federation.
Production is carried out by Gazprom Dobycha Urengoy LLC (a 100% subsidiary of Gazprom OJSC).

Continuing the topic: Nord Stream is a masterpiece of cooperation between Europe and Russia

No. 2. Islamic Republic of Iran.

Islamic Republic of Iran:

More than 16% of the world's natural gas reserves. The main fields are located on the shelf of the Persian Gulf and in the northeast of the country;
It is planned to build the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline by the end of 2014. Projects suspended in 2012 (under pressure from the United States and its allies in Europe): gas supplies through Ukraine to the EU, extension of the existing gas pipeline (gas supplies to Armenia and Azerbaijan) through Turkey to Greece;
more than 10% of the world's proven oil reserves. 2nd place in oil production among OPEC countries. The largest oil supplier to China;
Iran is Asia's largest economy. In terms of GDP volume it is second only to China, Japan, India, Turkey, Indonesia and South Korea;
There are restrictions on human rights, primarily related to religion. For example, in the government system there is a special body - the Council of Guardians of the Constitution, which prohibits non-Muslims from occupying the highest positions. government posts, and members of parliament - to draw up bills that contradict Sharia law;
According to the Iranian Constitution (Article 13), in addition to Islam, only 3 religions are recognized: Christianity, Judaism and Zoroastrianism. Iran ranks second in the world (after China) in the number of executions for serious crimes.

No. 3. Qatar.

Qatar - the pearl of the Persian Gulf:

3rd place in the world in natural gas reserves, 6th largest exporter of natural gas in the world;
major exporter of oil and petroleum products (OPEC member);
country number 1 in the world in terms of “average per capita income” \ richest state in the world;
form of government - absolute monarchy;
Qatari satellite television - Al Jazeera - is the leading media outlet in the Middle East.

No. 4. Saudi Arabia.

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia:

More than 25% of proven oil reserves (more than 260 billion barrels), 4th place in natural gas reserves on Earth;
leader of OPEC. The main regulator of world oil prices;
active defender and lobbyist for the interests of Islam around the world. “The Land of Two Mosques” (the two main holy cities of the Islamic world, Mecca and Medina);
absolute theocratic monarchy, welfare state;
is among the top 10 countries in the world in terms of funding volumes armed forces;
a key US ally in the Middle East and, at the same time, the homeland of the former leader of the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden. Diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and the Vatican were established only in 2007;
The law prohibits oral or written discussions of the existing political system, the use and trade of alcohol and drugs. criminal law based on Shariah; for theft - cutting off the hand, for extramarital sexual relations the punishment is lashing, for murder, blasphemy and “witchcraft” (predicting the future, fortune telling) - the death penalty.

No. 5. Turkmenistan.

Turkmenistan is the 5th country in the world in terms of natural gas reserves (according to some estimates - 4th). Has the 2nd largest gas field in the world .

Briefly about Turkmenistan:

Huge reserves of natural gas (15-20 trillion cubic meters) and oil (1.5-2.0 billion tons) have turned Turkmenistan into an important exporter of fuel resources. Main buyers: Ukraine, Poland, Hungary;
the power of the current President of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, is absolute. Turkmenistan maintains one of the most repressive and authoritarian regimes in the world. © Human Rights Watch;
According to the Press Freedom Index, Turkmenistan is annually at the bottom of the list. © Reporters Without Borders

No. 6. United Arab Emirates.

United Arab Emirates:

6th place in the world in terms of proven gas reserves (about 4% of world reserves \ proven natural gas reserves - more than 214 trillion cubic feet). The main places for natural gas production are the emirate of Abu Dhabi: Abu al-Bukhush, Bab, Bu Hasa, Umm Shaif, Zakum. The Abu Dhabi National Company controls more than 90% of the country's gas reserves;
5th place in reliable oil reserves in the Middle East (No. 1 - Saudi Arabia, No. 2 - Iran, No. 3 - Iraq, No. 4 - Kuwait, No. 5 - Qatar, No. 6 - Oman);
8 - 10% (according to various estimates) of world oil reserves (66 billion barrels, most of- Emirate of Abu Dhabi). The UAE is a member of OPEC and at the current level of oil production, the UAE's oil reserves will last for more than 100 years! ABU Dhabi National Company (ADNOC) controls the country's oil industry. Main oil fields: the emirate of Abu Dhabi (Asab, Bab, Bu Hasa, Al-Zakum), the emirate of Dubai (Fallah, Fateh, Margham, Rashid), the emirate of Sharjah ("Mubarak" - not far from Abu Musa Island);
the leading economic center of the Middle East and the richest state on the planet. GDP per capita since the 70s. 20th century increased more than 20 times! Main trading partners: Japan, UK, Italy, Germany, South Korea. Fish consumption is one of the highest in the world - 140 kg per year per capita;
The UAE is part of the group of non-aligned countries and takes a position of “absolute neutrality” (maintaining “equidistance” from the West and the East).

No. 7. Nigeria.

Nigeria:

1st place in Africa in terms of proven natural gas reserves (more than 5 trillion cubic meters), 7th place in the world in terms of export volumes;
1st place in Africa in terms of oil exports (before the collapse of the state in 2011, Libya occupied 1st place), 2nd place in Africa in proven oil reserves (after Libya);
Nigeria is one of the main suppliers of oil to Western Europe and an important exporter of crude oil to the United States, Brazil and India. Member of OPEC;
in terms of population - 7th place in the world and No. 1 in Africa: more than 162 million people;
in 2nd place in the world in terms of the number of feature films produced (lower in number than India, but ahead of the USA).

Continuing the topic:

Nigeria is closed. Will Nigeria repeat the fate of Sudan?
Twilight of an oil power. Blood Oil as a Catalyst of History

No. 8. Venezuela.

Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela:

8th place in the world in terms of proven reserves of “blue fuel” (out of 146 trillion cubic feet of gas, 32 trillion cubic feet are categorized as probable and possible). Venezuela, together with 4 companies from Russia (a consortium consisting of Rosneft, Surgutneftegaz, TNK–BP, LUKOIL, Gazprom), China (CNOOC Ltd), Malaysia (Petronas) and Algeria (Sonatrach) is leading development of gas fields on the shelf;
has the largest oil reserves in the Western Hemisphere (more than 77 billion barrels) and is the No. 1 oil producer in Latin America. The exact oil reserves are unknown: proven oil reserves are 75 billion barrels, however, there is a version (source Minister of Oil Rafael Ramirez, 2011) - about 297 billion barrels! In any case, Venezuela is one of the top 10 largest oil exporters on the planet and is an important member of OPEC;
charismatic leader Hugo Chavez is building “21st century socialism” in the country;
claims to be a leader in Latin America. It has very tense relations with the United States, border disputes with Colombia and the Netherlands Antilles, and claims 2/3 of the territory of Guyana (a neighboring state).

No. 9. Algeria.

Algerian People's Democratic Republic:

Algeria ranks 9th in the world in terms of gas reserves, and 5th in terms of commercial gas production. Algeria's proven natural gas reserves amount to more than 4.5 trillion.

Top 10 countries by natural gas reserves

cube m (2nd place in Africa after Nigeria - more than 5 trillion cubic meters, almost 3% of world reserves);
About 85% of Algeria's gas reserves are free gas from gas fields and gas caps of oil deposits; the rest of the gas is dissolved in oil (mainly in the Hassi Messaoud oil field). The largest gas field— Hassi-Rmel; significant gas reserves have been explored in the fields of Gurd-Hyc, Nezla, Oued-Numer, etc. Since the 90s. In the 20th century, proven natural gas reserves in Algeria almost doubled - the result of successful prospecting and exploration work;
Gas production and sales are controlled by the state-owned company Sonatrach. More than 50% of gross natural gas production is provided by the Hassi R'Mel field. However, an important role in increasing gas production is given to the development of the In Salah group of fields (through the In Salah Gas (ISG) consortium: Sonatrach (35%), BP (33%) and the Norwegian Statoil (32%);
In terms of oil reserves, Algeria ranks 3rd in Africa (after Libya and Nigeria), 15th in the world, 11th among oil exporting countries. Algeria is a member of OPEC;
4/5 of the country's territory is occupied by the Sahara Desert. More than 185 oil and gas fields are known in Algeria; most of the deposits are located in the northeast of the Sahara region;
Algeria ranks 1st in Africa in terms of mercury reserves (4% of global reserves), 2nd place in reserves of iron ores, lead and zinc ores;
In Algeria's energy balance, natural gas accounts for more than 62%, oil - less than 35%, coal - less than 3%, hydropower - 0.5%.

No. 10. Iraq.

Iraq:

Zone of political and economic instability - the development of the oil and gas industry is complicated due to partially ongoing sabotage;
10th place in proven natural gas reserves, of which 90% are in Iraqi Kurdistan. It is planned to build a gas pipeline "Iran - Iraq - Syria (alternative - Turkey) - Europe." However, due to the unstable situation in Syria and the confrontation between the United States and Iran, the implementation of this project is difficult to implement;
2nd place in the world (after Saudi Arabia) - in proven oil reserves: 112 billion barrels, total estimated oil reserves are estimated at 220 billion barrels! The depths of Iraq have not yet been sufficiently explored. The price of Iraqi oil production is one of the lowest in the world.

Experts from Heritage Oil Plc (UK) discovered in 2011 the largest new natural gas field in the last 30 years in Iraqi Kurdistan. According to Heritage Oil Plc, the Miran West-2 field contains almost 350 billion cubic meters of natural gas and 75 million barrels of oil. The start of hydrocarbon production is planned for 2015.

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Natural gas production by countries of the world (source - free encyclopedia "Wikipedia" 2006-2011, including using CIA (USA) estimates published in The World Factbook):

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 others positive properties make it indispensable in many areas of human life, industry and power generation.

World leaders in natural gas production in the world

The main consumers are not located in areas of global fuel production. 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's total belongs to the United States, which occupies a leading position.

The world's largest natural gas producers

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 rating of states that are export-oriented, of which eight are leading.

General picture of the geography of gas fields

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 largest places Of the 20 fuel deposits, they 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 fields were discovered in Russia, which were included in the TOP 20: West Kamchatka, Leningradskoye and Rusanovskoye (read also How much oil is left in Russia?).
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 (Russian-Chinese investment cooperation).
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 the largest fields is occupied by North or South Pars, which is located within the two countries of 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 countries in the annual production of this resource.

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 southern and northern regions Western Siberia, the territories of the Far East and Sakhalin, the shelves of the two seas of the Barents and Kara seas;
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 reserves. The fuel here is of high quality, which lacks great content 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 in 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. There are more than 120 trillion 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.

Main fuel bases in Russia

Fuel industry.

Russia is one of the few countries in the world that is not only fully supplied with all types of fuel resources, but also supplies them in large quantities to other countries. Russia accounts for 10% of the world's oil reserves, more than 40% of gas and more than 50% of coal. Geological knowledge of the territory of Russia is relatively weak, so actual fuel resources are most likely much greater. Russia ranks first in gas production, second in oil production, and fifth in coal production in the world.

Coal, oil and gas are the main types of fuel. The importance of other energy resources (peat, oil shale, firewood) is quite small.

Gas industry. This is the youngest and fastest growing industry fuel industry Russia. Active development of gas reserves began only in the second half of the 20th century. Gas is the only type of fuel whose production in Russia has not been reduced in recent decades.

Gas has a high calorific value and is an environmentally friendly type of fuel, since its combustion produces few toxic substances. Gas production and transportation are simple. When extracting gas, there is no need for underground work, since gas can be pumped from the surface. Transporting gas through gas pipelines is relatively cheap.

The largest gas reserves are in the West Siberian economic region of the country (Figure 2), where more than 85% of Russian gas is produced in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, in the lower reaches of the Ob and Taz rivers. The largest gas fields in the country and the world are located here - Urengoyskoye, Yamburgskoye, Medvezhye, Zapolyarnoye, etc. Only these four fields account for half of the gas production.

Gas is produced in much smaller volumes in the south of the Urals, in the Northern economic region, in the Volga region, in the North Caucasus, and in the Far East.

The Yamal and Gydansky peninsulas (north of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug), the shelf zone, are promising for gas Barents Sea and Sakhalin Islands.

Figure 2 – Share of economic regions in gas production,%

Oil industry. Russia is rich in oil. Peak oil production was achieved in 1988, when Russia produced almost a fifth of world oil production. However, in recent decades, oil production in the country has decreased by almost 2 times. Currently, the decline in oil production has stopped, and its production has begun to increase.

Crude oil is not used; it is processed at oil refineries into gasoline, kerosene, fuel oil, various oils, etc., and a variety of chemical products are obtained at petrochemical enterprises.

The main oil base of Russia is Western Siberia (Figure 3). If gas fields are located in the lower reaches of the Ob, then oil mainly lies in its middle reaches, in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug. 70% of the country's oil is produced here. Moreover, West Siberian oil is of high quality - it contains a small amount of sulfur. Unfortunately, the ultra-rich deposits of Western Siberia have been depleted. The time lies ahead for the exploitation of relatively small but numerous fields that still contain a lot of oil.

Figure 3 – Share of economic regions in oil production, %

The Volga-Ural oil province is located within the territory of the republics of Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Udmurtia, as well as Perm region, Orenburg, Samara, Saratov, Volgograd and Astrakhan regions. The oil of this region is significantly inferior in quality to that of Western Siberia, but it lies relatively shallow, which simplifies its extraction.

The Timan-Pechora oil province, located in the Northern economic region, is still being developed. Near big number explored but not yet developed fields, including on the shelf zone of the Barents and Kara seas.

The Usinskoye field in the Komi Republic has unique production conditions. Due to its high density (thickness), oil is not pumped out of the ground, but is extracted in mines.

The North Caucasus, Russia's oldest oil-producing region, now plays a minor role. Although the quality of oil here is the best, its reserves are small due to the high depletion of the fields.

In the main production areas, except Timan-Pechora, there is a significant depletion of oil reserves, and, therefore, a further decline in the level of oil production in the country can be expected. Fortunately, this is not the case. Firstly, there are many promising areas that can significantly expand the industry’s raw material base. These are areas of the European North, Siberia and the Far East, including their shelf zones.

In our country, areas of fuel production and consumption are separated by vast distances. In fact, the main fuel production takes place in the east of the country, while the largest cities and main industrial centers are located in its western part. Therefore, the importance of oil and gas pipelines is very great.

Table 3

The most important gas pipelines

Name	Passage areas
Name	Subjects	Main points
"Friendship"	Tatarstan, Samara, Penza, Tambov, Lipetsk, Oryol, Bryansk regions, Belarus, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia	Almetyevsk, Samara, Penza, Michurinsk, Lipetsk, Orel, Unecha. Mozyr, Brest, Novopolotsk, Uzhgorod, Mazhekiai, Vents-pils
Volga region - Center - North-West	Tatarstan, Nizhny Novgorod, Ryazan regions, Moscow, Yaroslavl, Leningrad region	Almetyevsk, N. Novgorod, Ryazan, Moscow, Yaroslavl, Kirishi
Komi - Center	Komi, Yaroslavl	Usinsk, Ukhta, Yaroslavl
Volga region - Black Sea	Samara, Saratov, Volgograd, Rostov regions, Krasnodar region	Samara, Novokuibyshevsk, Saratov, Volgograd, Salsk, Novorossiysk, Tuapse

The pipeline system crosses our country from east to west (Tables 3 and 4). The length of main (largest) pipelines in Russia exceeds 200 thousand km. Branches from them create a developed network, especially dense in the European part of the country. Some of the pipelines go beyond the borders of our country, ensuring the supply of fuel to countries near and far abroad. As you know, Russia is the largest exporter of oil and gas in Europe. The Eastern Siberia - Pacific Ocean oil pipeline is currently under construction.

Table 4

The most important oil pipelines

Coal industry. Coal is inferior to oil and gas in many respects. Its calorific value is significantly lower. At the same time, the cost of its production is much higher. To raise coal to the surface, it is necessary to use powerful and complex equipment and the work of many people. There are two methods of coal mining - open (quarry) and closed (mine). Coal mined in mines is especially expensive, since a mine is an extremely complex underground structure. In terms of the number of employees, the coal industry significantly exceeds all other fuel industries.

Since coal transportation is carried out mainly by rail, it is much more expensive than pumping oil and gas through pipelines. As a result, coal is a more expensive fuel. However, it remains one of the most important fuels in our country. The explanation for this is simple. Firstly, Russia's coal reserves are huge. According to experts, they can last for many hundreds, and possibly thousands of years. Therefore, coal is actively used to produce heat and generate electricity. Secondly, it is difficult to find a replacement for coal in some sectors of the economy. This primarily concerns metallurgy, which is one of the largest consumers of coal.

Different types of coal are used for the needs of thermal power engineering and metallurgy. Thermal power engineering requires types of coal with a high calorific value. They are called thermal coals. The best of them is anthracite. In metallurgy, another type of coal is used - coking coal. After special processing, impurities are removed from it, and almost pure carbon remains - coke. It is coke that is used as fuel in the production of cast iron. Coking coals are much less widespread compared to thermal coals. Almost 75% of all coals found in the earth's crust are energy-grade. Therefore, when assessing coal basins, the presence of coking coals there must be taken into account.

Anthracite and coking coal belong to the group hard coals. In addition to hard coal, there is also brown coal. As a fuel, brown coal is significantly inferior to stone. Its combustion heat is almost 2 times less. It contains a lot of ash particles, and therefore, when burned, brown coal smokes very strongly. Nevertheless, in some areas of the country the reserves of this coal are large, and the deposit conditions allow open-pit mining, so it is widely used. True, transporting brown coal over long distances is unprofitable. Therefore, brown coal is used only in mining areas.

The location of the Russian coal industry, naturally, depends on the location of coal deposits in the country. They are mainly concentrated in the eastern regions of Russia (Table 5). More than 90% of coal reserves are located here. The eastern regions also provide 3/4 of the country's coal production (Figure 4). The main role in the all-Russian coal production is played by Kuznetsky (Kemerovo region) and Kansko-Achinsky (located here). Krasnoyarsk region) swimming pools.

The Kuznetsk Basin (Kuzbass) is the absolute leader in Russia in terms of the scale of coal production. More than half of Russian coal is mined here. Huge reserves, thick coal seams, excellent quality of coal, including coking coal, make the basin one of the largest and best in the world. Almost half of the coal is mined here by open-pit mining. Despite its considerable distance from world markets, Kuzbass is the largest exporter of Russian coal.

Table 5

Characteristics of the most important coal basins in Russia

Coal Pools	Coal reserves, billion tons	Share in the country's coal production, %		Thickness of coal seams, m	Coal mining method
Kuznetsky			Anthracite, coking		Open, closed
Kansko-Achinsky			Brown		Open
Pechorsky			Coking, anthracite		Closed
Vostochny, Donbass			Anthracite		Closed

Figure 4 – Coal production by economic region, %

The Kansk-Achinsk basin has layers of brown coal of enormous thickness, which lie almost at earth's surface. This creates conditions for relatively cheap open-pit coal mining. But the coal here is low-calorie and of low quality. Therefore, it is mainly used in the mining area to generate electricity. The widespread use of this coal has led to a significant deterioration in air quality in populated areas in the region.

The Pechora basin is the largest in terms of coal reserves and production in the European part of the country.

Russia tops the ranking of countries in terms of natural gas reserves

Significant depth (200-600 m), small thickness of layers (1-2 m), complex natural conditions The polar regions make production difficult and lead to additional expenses, increasing the cost of coal. Coking coals account for 3/5 of the total production volume.

Eastern Donbass is in the west Rostov region. In general, the Donetsk coal basin is located on the border with Ukraine, and most of it is located outside of Russia. Coal has been mined here for more than 100 years, so all the most convenient and rich seams have already been worked out. Now mining is carried out at very great depths. Some mines exceed a kilometer in depth. The thickness of the coal layers is very small, in some places it does not exceed several centimeters. As a result, coal is very expensive.

Coal is mined in the South Yakut basin, in Neryungri. The branch fits here railway- a branch from the Baikal-Amur Mainline, which allows you to send products to Russian consumers and export to Japan.

The Tunguska, Taimyr, and Lena basins are the largest in the world in terms of coal reserves. They contain thermal and coking coals, but have not yet been developed due to the poor economic development of the territory, the almost complete absence of transport routes and remoteness from consumers. In Russia, 2/3 of coal is mined by open-pit mining, in Kuzbass - about half, in the Kansk-Achinsk basin - 100%. Exclusively in mines, production is carried out in the Pechora and Donetsk basins.

Natural gas fields in Russia

It's no secret that the oil and gas industry is the foundation of the Russian economy. Our country is the first in the ranking of exporters of natural gas, and about 25% of the world's reserves of this irreplaceable resource lie in the thickness of the earth's crust on its territory.

Natural gas fields are a whole collection of deposits covering areas measuring thousands of square kilometers.

Urengoy, Shtokman, Yamburg... Surely you have already heard these names, as the whole world has heard about them, because we are talking about the largest and most important gas fields in Russia.

Let's find out a little more about each of them.

Urengoyskoe

A gas field located on the territory of the Yamalo-Nenets District, near the village of Urengoy. Now there's a beautiful one there modern city– Novy Urengoy, a city of oil and gas workers.

This field is the largest in Russia (more than 1,300 wells), and is also considered one of the oldest gas fields in the country.

Urengoy hydrocarbon resources are already 70 percent depleted, despite the fact that their total volume was estimated at 10.9 trillion cubic meters. Now all efforts are aimed at developing gas production from the depths of the Achimov deposits - the deepest and most inaccessible hydrocarbon deposits.

Yamburgskoye (YANGCF)

The deposit, located beyond the Arctic Circle, in the subarctic zone of Yamal, was discovered in 1969. Yamburg gas rests at a depth of 1-3 km, where the first 400 meters are a layer of permafrost. Complex gas treatment plants were tested for the first time at the Yamburgskoye field. Total geological reserves are estimated at 8.2 trillion cubic meters of natural gas.

Bovanenkovskoe

It is this field that journalists often choose when preparing a story about gas production. Bovanenkovo is located near the coast of the Kara Sea. All around is only endless tundra, rare Nenets settlements and reindeer herds.

This field is still very young, and its operation began in 2012. So far, the field has only 743 wells, half as many as at Urengoy, but since it is located above the Achimov deposits, it is considered very promising. Today, gas reserves in Bovanenkovo are estimated at 4.9 trillion cubic meters.

Shtokmanovskoe

This gas condensate field, named after the research vessel Professor Shtokman, is located right in the middle of the Barents Sea, in the shelf zone between Murmansk and the island of Novaya Zemlya.

TOP 10 gas empires of the world

The depth of the sea here is about 340 meters.

Extremely rich in both natural gas and gas condensate. The volume of these resources is estimated at 3.94 trillion cubic meters and 56 million tons, however, it has not yet been possible to realize the operation of the field at full capacity, but it is planned to reach the maximum level of its development by 2019.

Kovyktinskoe

The largest deposit in Eastern Siberia. Its area is 1500 km2. Currently, in terms of the degree of industrial development, it is still at the exploration stage. It is the resource base of the Power of Siberia gas pipeline.

Leningradskoe

A giant field located in the southwest of the Kara Sea. The explored volume of gas is equal to 3 trillion cubic meters. Natural gas here is pumped out from the Cenomanian strata and, despite the rather deep occurrence of the layers in the field (1.7 - 2.6 km), it is obtained quite easily.

Rusanovskoe

This deposit is also classified as giant. Gas reserves here are estimated at only 779 billion cubic meters, however, due to the multilayer nature inherent in this area, it is difficult to say for sure, and there is an assumption that there are at least 3 trillion cubic meters. Rusanovskoe is also rich in gas condensate, about 8 million tons of which were counted here. The deposit has chosen the territory of the southwestern part of the Kara Sea, just 70 km from its Leningrad “brother”.

Zapolyarnoe

Fifth in the world in terms of gas reserves (total - 3.5 trillion cubic meters). It was discovered 80 km from Urengoy in 1965.

This is where the world's largest gas treatment facility with a capacity of 35 billion cubic meters is located.

Bearish

The oldest deposit in the West Siberian region and one of the largest. Its area is more than 2100 square kilometers. The Medvezhye field, with an initial volume of resources of 4.7 trillion cubic meters, is already 80% depleted, and in connection with this it is planned to reduce the number of gas fields from 9 to 6 by modernizing them.

Astrakhan

The Caspian region is also rich in hydrocarbons (proven reserves are 2.5 trillion cubic meters of gas and 400 million tons of gas condensate). Natural gas production here is carried out at a depth of up to 4.1 km.

Sakhalin – 3

Here in the waters Pacific Ocean, just east of Sakhalin Island, there are as many as 3 fields: Kirinskoye, Yuzhno-Kirinskoye and Mynginskoye. For now, the project is at the development stage, but when it is fully implemented, it is planned to produce about 30 billion cubic meters of gas per year on Sakhalin-3.

This is where the largest floating drilling platform in Russia is located.

Our top 10 gas producing countries for 2017 are based on OPEC data published in the 2017 Annual Statistical Bulletin.

10 Turkmenistan

This country is located in Central Asia. There are two oil and gas provinces on the territory of Turkmenistan: the Turan oil and gas province and the South Caspian oil and gas basin. These provinces are home to over 220 gas, oil and gas, petroleum and condensate fields. In 2017, 81.765 billion cubic meters were produced in this country. m of natural gas.

9 Algeria

This country is located in North Africa. Most of Algeria's territory lies in the Sahara Desert. In the depths of the country there are oil and gas reserves. In the fall of 2009, a gas condensate field was discovered in Algeria, which was named Ain Tsila. There gas deposits are located at a depth of 1.5-2.0 km. In 2017, 93.152 billion cubic meters were produced in this country. m of natural gas.

8 Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is located on the Arabian Peninsula. The country has large oil and gas reserves. In February 2007, a gas field was discovered in the Rub al-Khali desert, which was named Tukhman. Its deposits are located at a depth of 5-5.5 km. The initial reserves of natural gas in Tukhman amount to 1 billion cubic meters. m. Also in the Persian Gulf basin there is a large oil and gas field called Gavar. The deposits in it are located at a depth of 1.5-3 km. Geological reserves of natural gas in Gavar amount to 1.01 billion cubic meters. m. In 2017, 110.86 billion cubic meters were produced in this country. m of natural gas.

7 Norway

Norway is located on the Scandinavian Peninsula, the Spitsbergen archipelago and many islands. The country has large oil and gas reserves. The largest natural gas reserves are the Troll, Oseberg and Frigg fields. The troll stores 1287 billion cubic meters. m of gas, Oseberg - 60 billion cubic meters. m of gas, Frigg - 225 billion cubic meters. m of gas. In 2017, 120.193 billion cubic meters were produced in this country. m of natural gas.

6 China

China is located in East Asia. In the depths of the country there are large reserves of oil and gas. Among the famous gas fields in China are Clameli (gas field), Liuhua (offshore gas condensate field), Sulige (gas field), Changbei (gas field), Shiugou-Dongxi (gas field), Yacheng (offshore gas condensate field). In 2017, 136.628 billion cubic meters were produced in this country. m of natural gas.

5 Canada

Canada is located in North America. The country's subsoil has large reserves of natural gas. There are several gas basins in Canada. The main basin is located in the province of Alberta. It includes fields such as Rainbow Lake, Pembina Forks and Medicine Hat. The Taylor field is located in the province of British Columbia, and the Christopher Bay field is located in the province of Nunavut. In 2017, 174.051 billion cubic meters were produced in Canada. m of natural gas.

4 Qatar

Qatar is located on the Qatar Peninsula, which is located on the Arabian Peninsula. The country's subsoil is rich in natural gas. In the central part of the Persian Gulf there is the North, a large oil and gas field. In 2017, 182.83 billion cubic meters were produced in this country. m of natural gas.

3 Iran

Iran is located in Western Asia. The country has large reserves of oil and natural gas. In the central part of the Persian Gulf there is a large oil and gas field, South Pars. Iran also has such gas fields as Kengan (gas condensate field), Sardar Milli (oil and gas), Foroz (gas), Khayyam (gas), Hangiran (gas), as well as the Pre-Zagros oil and gas region. In 2017, 226.905 billion cubic meters were produced in this country. m of natural gas.USA

USA is located in North America. The country's subsoil has large reserves of oil and natural gas. As of 2013, there were 383 drilling rigs producing natural gas in the United States. The country has 38 oil and gas basins and 14 suspected oil and gas basins. In 2017, 751.063 billion cubic meters were produced in this country. m of natural gas.

Natural gas is needed by humanity for many purposes: heating buildings, cooking, heating water, obtaining certain substances in chemical industry, and also as fuel for various equipment.

Natural gas is a mineral formed as a result of anaerobic decomposition of organic substances under the influence of high temperature and pressure.

Dead organisms sank to the seabed, forming silty sediments, which, due to geological displacements, penetrated to great depths.

It was there that a process took place over millions of years in which the carbon contained in sedimentary rocks became part of compounds called hydrocarbons. This .

Characteristics

Natural gas in the conditions of occurrence in the bowels of the Earth (reservoir conditions) represents autonomous accumulations or deposits. it forms in the form of a cap - this is the so-called free gas.

It can also exist in crystalline or dissolved form.

Natural gas is not a homogeneous substance.

Its main part is methane (CH4), the simplest hydrocarbon (98%). It also contains methane homologues:

butane (C4H10);
propane (C3H8);
ethane (C2H6).

and some non-hydrocarbon impurities:

helium (He);
nitrogen (N2);
hydrogen sulfide (H2S);
hydrogen (H2);
carbon dioxide (CO2).

Natural gas in its pure form is odorless and colorless. In order to detect leakage, a small proportion of odorants is added to it. Most often, ethyl mercaptan (a sulfur-containing substance), which is characterized by a sharp, unpleasant odor, is used for this purpose.

Deposits and reserves

In post-Soviet territory, the largest natural gas deposits are in Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan (Karachaganak field) and Turkmenistan.

Russia's share in the global production market is more than 20%.

The main locations of deposits are concentrated in the Volga-Ural, Timan-Pechora and West Siberian gas-bearing provinces, as well as in the Far East and the North Caucasus.

Urengoyskoe The field ranks second in the world in terms of natural gas reserves. It is located in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Tyumen Region. Gas production began here in 1978.
Nakhodkinskoe The field is located in the Bolshekhetskaya depression of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. According to experts, gas reserves in this place exceed 275 billion cubic meters. Its development started in 2004.
Angaro-Lenskoye the deposit was discovered in beginning of XXI centuries. It is located in the Irkutsk region, near the Angara and Lena rivers, according to which it was given its name. Natural gas reserves amount to approximately 1.4 trillion cubic meters.
Kovyktinskoe The deposit is located 450 km northeast of the city of Irkutsk, on a high-mountain plateau covered by dark coniferous taiga. The climatic conditions in this area are very harsh. Part of the territory is dominated by permafrost. In addition, a large number of canyons complicate the terrain of this area. The amount of natural gas reserves reaches two trillion cubic meters and 120 million tons of liquid gas condensate.
Shtokmanskoye The gas condensate field is one of the largest in the world. Its discovery occurred in 1988. Location - the central part of the Barents Sea shelf, approximately 600 km northeast of the city of Murmansk. The volume of gas reserves is 3.8 trillion cubic meters. Due to the great depth of gas occurrence, as well as difficult development conditions, production has not yet been carried out here. The implementation of a project to obtain mineral resources requires high-tech equipment and significant costs.

It should also be noted that there are large natural gas fields in Russia and the CIS countries.

Igrimskoye and Pokhromskoye (Berezovsky gas-bearing region).
Pelachiadinskoe and Severo-Stavropolskoe (Stavropol Territory).
Dagestan Lights (Dagestan).
Bayram-Ali, Shatlyk, Kyzylkum (Central Asia).
Ust-Silginskoye and Myldzhinskoye (Vasyugan gas-bearing region).

Other countries

In addition to Russia, the countries with the most gas reserves include Iran (fields on the Persian Gulf shelf), Saudi Arabia (Gawar field), Qatar (Rnoe field).

Gas production in Europe has fallen by almost one-third in recent years, with prices rising significantly. Development is underway in the UK, Germany, France, Poland, Ukraine, Austria, Romania. These European countries contain mainly shale gas, but its extraction is expensive and environmentally unsafe.

The United States is ahead of Russia in gas production, but a process of decreasing volumes is already noticeable. America is finding new markets; it is preparing to export shale gas to Europe.

Extraction methods

Natural gas is produced through wells, by extracting it from the depths. During this process, the formation pressure in the reservoir decreases rhythmically, due to the fact that the wells are distributed evenly throughout the field. Natural gas fills microscopic voids in the earth's interior.

Under natural pressure

They are connected to each other through crack channels, through which gaseous substances move from pores with low pressure to pores with higher pressure until they end up in the well and begin to rise upward.

This natural gas contains various impurities that are eliminated at gas processing plants or at special stations for subsequent transportation.

From the coal mines

There are several other extraction methods.

Extracting methane gas from coal mines to prevent explosions. This fishery is actively practiced in the USA. Gas formation occurs exclusively in the gap between anthracite and brown coal.

Hydraulic fracturing

Most ra A popular technique is hydraulic fracturing, the principle of which is to inject a water or air stream through a well.

As a result of this technique, the partitions are destroyed and minerals rise out.

In some countries this method is prohibited as it may cause an earthquake.

Under the water

As is known, most large gas fields are located under water. For mining near coastline inclined wells are built, directed towards the water. High piles are installed at shallow depths.

To work in fields in depth zones from 100 to 300 meters, floating platforms are used, at the corners of which stabilizing elements like columns are located.

A drilling derrick is installed in the center.

In the area where the drilling process will take place, the supports are lowered to the bottom and then deepened into the ground.

At particularly great depths (up to 3000 meters), semi-submersible platforms are used. They are placed on pontoons and held in place by 15-ton anchors. Gravity-type platforms are considered the most stable. The supporting columns are constructed of concrete.

They are equipped not only with drilling rigs, but also with tanks with pipelines in which raw materials are stored.

Technological process

The main equipment for natural gas production is a drilling rig.

It is a four-legged metal tower, the height of which is from 20 to 30 meters. A thick steel pipe with a drill at the lower end is suspended from it. Its rotation occurs under the action of the rotor. The pipe is lengthened as the depth of the well increases, into which a special liquid mass is injected so that the destroyed rocks do not clog it. This is done using a pump through a pipe.

The solution cleans the space between the pipe and the walls of the well, removing limestone and sandstone. The liquid that washes away the destroyed rocks simultaneously promotes the rotation of the drill. Until the bottom of the well is reached, the mud is responsible for rotating the turbine attached to the drilling rig. This device is called a turbo drill.

The improved mechanism involves the operation of several turbines mounted on a common shaft. Since the extracted gas is under high pressure in the subsurface, a series of steel bolts are installed to lift it through the pipes, which control the release and prevent accidents associated with the high speed of its release.

Storage and transportation

The extracted natural gas is stored in special sealed, gas-tight tanks.

Special steel containers that have double walls are designed for liquefied raw materials. They can also be made from durable aluminum alloys. As a rule, a non-thermal conductive material is laid between the walls to prevent the gas from heating.

The largest gas storage facilities are created underground. Dense rock layers act as walls. To prevent the rocks from being destroyed, they are concreted. Storage for liquefied gases can be in the form of a deep mine working. It is a pit or pit, which is hermetically closed with a metal hatch.

The main method of gas transportation is pipeline. The movement is carried out through pipes with a large diameter.

The pressure is 75 atmospheres. It is stably maintained at a certain level, thanks to the presence of compressor stations located at a fixed distance from each other.

Gas is also transported using tankers (gas carriers).

They transport liquefied gas under thermobaric conditions. This method involves conducting a series preparatory processes for the use of tankers.

It is necessary to extend a gas pipeline to the seashore, equip a liquefaction plant and build a port.

This method of transportation is economically justified, especially if the consumer is located at a distance of more than 3000 km from the point of production.

Impact of gas production systems on the environment

35% of the total emissions into the atmosphere are waste from stationary sources related to the gas production system. Of these, only 20% are captured and neutralized. This is a fairly low figure among all industrial sectors. The gas transportation system has a significant technogenic impact on environment. Approximately 70% of all emissions enter the atmosphere. The following operations are carried out at gas compressor stations, which are accompanied by the release of harmful substances:

Application

Natural gas is widely used as a fuel in private homes and apartments for heating, water heating and cooking. It also acts as fuel for boiler houses of thermal power plants and cars. Natural gas is one of the the best varieties fuel for domestic and industrial needs. Its main value lies in the fact that it is an environmentally friendly mineral fuel, the combustion of which produces a small amount of harmful compounds.

The cost of gas production is constantly growing. for example, in 2014 in Russia it increased by 12% over the year.

10

Natural gas reserves: 4.504 trillion m3
From global stocks: 2,2 %

Algeria is in tenth place in the ranking. The republic accounts for 4.504 trillion. m 3 of proven natural gas reserves in the world, which is 2.2% of world reserves. The country ranks second after Nigeria in natural gas production on the African continent. The main gas field being developed is Hassi - R "Mel. The production of blue fuel is under the control of the state corporation - Sonatrak, which is the owner and operator of gas liquefaction production lines located in the cities of Arzev and Skikda.

9

Natural gas reserves: 5.111 trillion m3
From global stocks: 2,5 %

Nigeria holds the palm in terms of natural gas reserves among African countries. The state has reserves of 5.111 trillion. m 3 of proven natural gas reserves, concentrating 2.5% of world reserves. Blue fuel production is concentrated within the Niger Delta. Natural gas is produced from oil fields, most of which is flared and the least of which is returned to oil wells. However, recently the country has begun to think about production efficiency through recycling and avoiding the combustion of associated gas. Currently, Nigeria is the largest supplier of LNG, lion's share which is designed for Europeans.

8

Natural gas reserves: 5.617 trillion m3
From global stocks: 2,8 %

Venezuela ranks eighth in the ranking of countries in terms of natural gas reserves. Gas reserves in this country are estimated at 5.617 trillion. m 3, providing 2.8% of world reserves. The state is the leader in terms of proven natural gas reserves on the Latin American continent. The gas industry is regulated by the national company Petroleos de Venezuela S.A (PDVSA). Natural gas is produced as a by-product in 5 oil and gas basins, which is not exported, but is used for the purpose of re-injection into oil fields.

7

Natural gas reserves: 6.091 trillion m3
From global stocks: 3,0 %

The largest deposits of natural gas are concentrated in the bowels of the UAE, allowing the state to firmly hold fourth place in terms of reliable gas reserves in the Middle East. The volume of proven reserves is 6.091 trillion. m 3 (3.0% of world reserves). The oil and gas industry is managed by a state holding - Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). The UAE has gas liquefaction and LNG regasification plants.

6

Natural gas reserves: 7.504 trillion m3
From global stocks: 3,7 %

This country ranks sixth in terms of proven natural gas reserves in the world. Turkmenistan accounts for 7.504 trillion. m 3 (3.7% of all reserves). The country's leading deposit is Galkynysh. The second largest gas storehouse is South Yolotan. China is considered the main consumer of the gas segment of Turkmenistan, but part of the proceeds from the supply of blue fuel to the Celestial Empire goes to repay loan obligations to Beijing. Despite the unstable economy, the government of Turkmenistan openly announced an increase in gas production and exports by several times, up to 230 billion m 3.

5

Natural gas reserves: 8.489 trillion m3
From global stocks: 4,2 %

The fifth largest holder of proven gas reserves in the world is Saudi Arabia. Geological gas reserves in this state are estimated at 8.489 trillion m3 (4.2% of all reserves). The dominant role in the kingdom's economy belongs to the state corporation Saudi Aramco, which controls the entire gas and oil industry. According to the national economic transformation plan, by 2020 Saudi Arabia plans to increase natural gas production to 504 million m 3.

4

Natural gas reserves: 10.440 trillion m3
From global stocks: 5,2 %

The world's largest natural gas reserves are concentrated in the United States, amounting to 10.440 trillion m3 (5.2% of all reserves). The country is a leader in the number of explored shale hydrocarbon deposits. The most impressive deposits in terms of volume are Haynesville, Marcellus and Point Thomson in Alaska. According to the EIA (Energy Information Administration) report, by 2018 the US will become a net exporter of the natural gas industry.

3

Natural gas reserves: 24.530 trillion m3
From global stocks: 12,2 %

This small state, located in the Middle East, is one of the leaders in the gas industry. Proven reserves of blue “gold” are measured in the following figures - 24.530 trillion. m 3 (12.2% of world reserves). Qatar is the most rich country in the world, and this is not surprising, because it is here that the gigantic Northern field is located, the resources of which are designed for 135 years, while maintaining modern production rates. According to the management of the state-owned company Qatar Petroleum, Qatar is increasing natural gas production and LNG exports due to the lifting of the moratorium introduced in 2005.

2

Natural gas reserves: 34.020 trillion m3
From global stocks: 16,9 %

“Silver” in the ranking of countries goes to the Islamic state of Western Asia, which has 34.020 trillion. m 3 of proven reserves of blue fuel. In the waters of the Persian Gulf there is a super-powerful gas field - South Pars, thanks to which Iran's natural gas reserves account for 16.9% of the world's. The lifting of sanctions served to increase gas production and expand the sales market. According to the agreements reached, Iran resumed gas supplies to the capital of Iraq, the city of Baghdad, and starting in June 2017, increased gas exports by 5 million m3.

1

Natural gas reserves: 47.800 trillion m3
From global stocks: 23,9 %

The Russian Federation is at the top of the ranking of leading countries in terms of natural gas reserves. 47.800 trillion are concentrated in the depths of the state. m 3 of proven resources. Export of natural gas is priority direction in the country's economy, which accounts for 23.9% of global reserves. Giant fields are located in three oil and gas basins of the country, namely: West Siberian, Volga-Ural and Timan-Pechora. Given the growing popularity of liquefied hydrocarbons, Gazprom has successfully implemented projects to build LNG plants. Among the first to be launched was a large-scale enterprise, Sakhalin-2.

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 extracting and exporting natural resources to 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

This country ranks first in gas production on the African continent. Also, it is a member of OPEC. And this despite the fact that in Nigeria high level corruption, political instability, 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.

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

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 plant was built in the UAE by ADGAS. Currently, it is engaged in processing natural gas from all oil fields of the country, which ranks 7th in the list of leaders in the production of this mineral.

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 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

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.

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QatarGas 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 successful geographical location a country that took bronze in the ranking of leading states in gas production.

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.
Natural resource is transported by Unified system gas supply and gas pipeline networks with a length of more than 140 thousand km.
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.