The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released a report on U.S. natural gas reserves last month based on an annual survey of 1,200 domestic operators. Total U.S. proved natural gas reserves, including Alaska, grew from 255 trillion cubic feet (tcf) at the end of 2008 to 284 tcf at the end of 2009.
- Shale gas reserves increased 76%, with 24.8 tcf of new discoveries in 2009.
- Coalbed methane and Lower 48 Offshore reserves dropped 10% and 7%, respectively, as low discoveries did not replace production for the year
- Lower 48 onshore reserves increased 2.5%, with new discoveries outpacing production by about 6 tcf
Alaska's reserves grew from 7.8 tcf at year end 2008 to 9.2 tcf at year end 2009, but there were no discoveries reported in Alaska for 2009. The net increase of .7 tcf, after .4 tcf of production, was all categorized as "revisions and other changes." The DOE notes that "revisions occur primarily when operators change their estimates of what they will be able to produce from the properties they operate using existing technology and prices." Low natural gas prices typically result in downward revisions to existing reserves, but operators' revision in Alaska increased reserves by 1.1 tcf.
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