Natural gas is used for generating electricity, heating homes, and operating vehicles. It is also a raw material used in many industries. The proven reserves of natural gas are the amount of natural gas that can be economically recovered under existing operating and economic conditions, based on geological and engineering analysis.
Russia has the largest proven reserves of natural gas in the world with 37.4 trillion cubic meters, accounting for nearly 20% of the global total. This is followed by Iran and Qatar with shares of 17% and 13% respectively.
In terms of regions, Asia has the largest reserves with 6 representatives in the top 10. Meanwhile, Africa, Europe, North America, and South America each have one representative.
Although ranking 5th in proven reserves, the United States is the largest producer of natural gas in the world, accounting for 23% of global production. This is followed by Russia and Iran with shares of 17.4% and 6.4% respectively.
The United States is also the largest exporter of natural gas in the world with 82.7 billion cubic meters through pipelines and 104.3 billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas (LNG) by 2022. Russia is the second largest exporter, followed by Qatar and Norway.
