U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Vehicle Technologies Program

Fact #102: October 18, 1999
World Fossil Fuel Potential

Although the world has consumed about one third of estimated conventional oil resources, the total fossil fuel potential is huge. Methane hydrates - a potential source of natural gas - are not shown in the graph below, but constitute the largest resource at 137.5 trillion barrels of oil equivalent.

Graph: World Fossil Fuel Potential

Supporting Information

World Fossil Fuel Potential
(Trillion Barrels of Oil Equivalent)
  Oil Reserves Resources Additional
Occurrences
Oil
   Use to Date 0.81      
   Conventional   1.10 1.06 0.00
   Unconventional   1.34 2.46 13.37
Natural Gas
   Conventional   1.03 2.05 0.00
   Unconventional   1.41 1.89 2.84
   Methane Hydrates   0.00 0.00 137.50
Coal   7.35 17.57 20.86

Source: H.H. Rogner, "An Assessment of World Hydrocarbon Resources," Annual Review of Energy and Environment, 1997, p. 249.

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