World Fossil Fuel Potential (gigatonnes of carbon)
Although the world has consumed about 40% of estimated conventional oil resources, the total fossil fuel potential is huge. Methane hydrates–a potential source of natural gas–are included in the “additional occurrences” of unconventional natural gas, and constitute the largest resource.
| Consumption (1860-1998) |
Reserves | Resources | Additional occurrences |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil | ||||
| Conventional | 97 | 120 | 121 | 0 |
| Unconventional | 6 | 102 | 305 | 914 |
| Natural Gas | ||||
| Conventional | 36 | 83 | 170 | 0 |
| Unconventional | 1 | 144 | 364 | 14,176 |
| Coal | ||||
| 155 | 533 | 4,618 | (a) | |
Source: Rogner, H.H., World Energy Assessment: Energy and the Challenge of Sustainability, Part II, Chapter 5, 2000, p. 149.
(a) Data are not available.
Source: See Table 1.1 [above], from the Transportation Energy Data Book.
