What is the difference between assessed oil and gas “resources” and “reserves”?
“Reserves” are quantities of oil and gas that are already discovered, recoverable, and commercial. Domestic reserves are tracked by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
The USGS assesses “undiscovered, technically recoverable resources,” which are those that are estimated to exist based on geologic knowledge and theory.
Learn more: USGS Energy Resource Assessments
Related
Undiscovered oil and gas resources underlying the U.S. portions of the Great Lakes, 2005 Undiscovered oil and gas resources underlying the U.S. portions of the Great Lakes, 2005
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed an assessment of the undiscovered oil and gas potential of the U.S. portions of the Appalachian Basin and the Michigan Basin in 2002 and 2004, respectively. Following the assessments of these two basins, oil and gas allocations were assigned to the U.S. portions of the Great Lakes - Lake Superior (Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin), Lake...
Authors
James L. Coleman, Christopher S. Swezey, Robert T. Ryder, Ronald R. Charpentier
Mississippian Barnett Shale, Fort Worth basin, north-central Texas: Gas-shale play with multi-trillion cubic foot potential Mississippian Barnett Shale, Fort Worth basin, north-central Texas: Gas-shale play with multi-trillion cubic foot potential
The Mississippian Barnett Shale serves as source, seal, and reservoir to a world-class unconventional natural-gas accumulation in the Fort Worth basin of north-central Texas. The formation is a lithologically complex interval of low permeability that requires artificial stimulation to produce. At present, production is mainly confined to a limited portion of the northern basin where the...
Authors
Scott L. Montgomery, D.M. Jarvie, K.A. Bowker, R. M. Pollastro
USGS world petroleum assessment 2000; new estimates of undiscovered oil and natural gas, including reserve growth, outside the United States USGS world petroleum assessment 2000; new estimates of undiscovered oil and natural gas, including reserve growth, outside the United States
Oil and natural gas account for approximately 63 percent of the world’s total energy consumption. The U.S. Geological Survey periodically estimates the amount of oil and gas remaining to be found in the world. Since 1981, each of the last four of these assessments has shown a slight increase in the combined volume of identified reserves and undiscovered resources. The latest assessment...
Authors
Water Resources Division U.S. Geological Survey
Unconventional natural gas resources on U.S. federal lands Unconventional natural gas resources on U.S. federal lands
No abstract available.
Authors
Robert A. Crovelli, J. W. Schmoker, Vito F. Nuccio
World conventional crude oil and natural gas: Identified reserves, undiscovered resources and futures World conventional crude oil and natural gas: Identified reserves, undiscovered resources and futures
This report summarizes, at the petroleum basin level, the United States Geological Survey's World Energy Program 1993 assessment of world conventional oil and gas resources. The maps provided show boundaries of petroleum basins that are referenced by the assessment, as well as, future oil and gas potential. The 'Futures' or future potential of a basin is calculated as the the sum of the...
Authors
C.D. Masters, D. H. Root, R. M. Turner
Production characteristics and resource assessment of the Barnett Shale continuous (unconventional) gas accumulation, Fort Worth Basin, Texas Production characteristics and resource assessment of the Barnett Shale continuous (unconventional) gas accumulation, Fort Worth Basin, Texas
No abstract available.
Authors
J. W. Schmoker, J.C. Quinn, R. A. Crovelli, V. F. Nuccio, T.C. Hester
Related
Undiscovered oil and gas resources underlying the U.S. portions of the Great Lakes, 2005 Undiscovered oil and gas resources underlying the U.S. portions of the Great Lakes, 2005
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed an assessment of the undiscovered oil and gas potential of the U.S. portions of the Appalachian Basin and the Michigan Basin in 2002 and 2004, respectively. Following the assessments of these two basins, oil and gas allocations were assigned to the U.S. portions of the Great Lakes - Lake Superior (Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin), Lake...
Authors
James L. Coleman, Christopher S. Swezey, Robert T. Ryder, Ronald R. Charpentier
Mississippian Barnett Shale, Fort Worth basin, north-central Texas: Gas-shale play with multi-trillion cubic foot potential Mississippian Barnett Shale, Fort Worth basin, north-central Texas: Gas-shale play with multi-trillion cubic foot potential
The Mississippian Barnett Shale serves as source, seal, and reservoir to a world-class unconventional natural-gas accumulation in the Fort Worth basin of north-central Texas. The formation is a lithologically complex interval of low permeability that requires artificial stimulation to produce. At present, production is mainly confined to a limited portion of the northern basin where the...
Authors
Scott L. Montgomery, D.M. Jarvie, K.A. Bowker, R. M. Pollastro
USGS world petroleum assessment 2000; new estimates of undiscovered oil and natural gas, including reserve growth, outside the United States USGS world petroleum assessment 2000; new estimates of undiscovered oil and natural gas, including reserve growth, outside the United States
Oil and natural gas account for approximately 63 percent of the world’s total energy consumption. The U.S. Geological Survey periodically estimates the amount of oil and gas remaining to be found in the world. Since 1981, each of the last four of these assessments has shown a slight increase in the combined volume of identified reserves and undiscovered resources. The latest assessment...
Authors
Water Resources Division U.S. Geological Survey
Unconventional natural gas resources on U.S. federal lands Unconventional natural gas resources on U.S. federal lands
No abstract available.
Authors
Robert A. Crovelli, J. W. Schmoker, Vito F. Nuccio
World conventional crude oil and natural gas: Identified reserves, undiscovered resources and futures World conventional crude oil and natural gas: Identified reserves, undiscovered resources and futures
This report summarizes, at the petroleum basin level, the United States Geological Survey's World Energy Program 1993 assessment of world conventional oil and gas resources. The maps provided show boundaries of petroleum basins that are referenced by the assessment, as well as, future oil and gas potential. The 'Futures' or future potential of a basin is calculated as the the sum of the...
Authors
C.D. Masters, D. H. Root, R. M. Turner
Production characteristics and resource assessment of the Barnett Shale continuous (unconventional) gas accumulation, Fort Worth Basin, Texas Production characteristics and resource assessment of the Barnett Shale continuous (unconventional) gas accumulation, Fort Worth Basin, Texas
No abstract available.
Authors
J. W. Schmoker, J.C. Quinn, R. A. Crovelli, V. F. Nuccio, T.C. Hester
Updated Date: April 9, 2025