Crude oil and natural gas production in XXI-st century

Abstract

The study brings into the focus the determinable and the accessibility dynamics of world crude oil
and natural gas reserves, which guarantee 60% of energy demand of humanity on the basis of author's
four and half decades industrial experience.
Nevertheless somé questions of geo- and energy politics are analysed and explained alsó which are
based on the technical point of view.
The article deals with conventional (cheap or easily producible) crude oil and natural gas reserve
calculation methods according to reserve categories. The role of the unconventional reserves (oil sand,
oil shale, low permeability rocks, stranded gas, natural gas hydrates) in the fulfilment of the energy
demand alsó analysed.
After that the world crude oil and natural gas production rates are shown including the geographical
locations of these reserves with production capacities of the most important countries. Based on this the
energy strategy of USA, OPEC, Russia, China, EU and Hungary are explained.
This matériái was presented on the Conference "Mining: History and Future" at llth, May 2005
organized by Hungárián Academy of Sciences (HAS) and Central Mining Museum and at 31st, January
2006 on the meeting of Geosciences Department of HAS.