Oil and gas are non-renewable resources
“Burning oil is the same as heating a furnace with banknotes.” – Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev spoke out at one time and he was right. Oil and gas are classified as non-renewable natural resources. And one day they will end. How many years will the world's reserves of this raw material last, without which modern society still does not know how to cope?
Economists and politicians give different figures, apparently each in their own interests. According to official data from the Ministry of Fuel and Energy of the Russian Federation, “Russia’s Energy Strategy for the period until 2020”, discovered oil reserves in North America amount to 11.5 billion tons (8% of world reserves), in Russia - 6.7 billion (4.6%), in Europe - 2.7 billion (2%). The largest part of the world's oil reserves is concentrated in the Middle East (64%).
As for natural gas, Russia has 48.14 trillion cubic meters (32.9% of world reserves), the USA - 8.35 trillion cubic meters (5.6%), the Middle East countries - 49.3 trillion cubic meters (33.8 %)
How many years will these reserves last?
As for oil, the indicators differ; some experts claim that there will be enough oil for another 15-20 years, others extend the life of oil magnates to 50 years. BP economists have calculated that Russia has exactly 21 years of oil left. And gas for about 50 years.
Current oil production statistics are as follows: in Pennsylvania, 19,000 wells produce 6,900 barrels of oil per day; in Saudi Arabia, 1,400 wells pump out 1,100 times more oil per day. At the same time, in the Ghavar region, production of 1 barrel of oil costs only $1. At this time, 80% of local oil reserves in Texas have been exhausted. Most importantly, out of 4.6 million wells, 3.4 million are located in the States, i.e. 75%.
As for the availability of oil and its consumption, experts provide the following data:
The USA has 3% of oil reserves, while consuming 25%
Saudi Arabia has 26% of oil
Iraq – 10%
Kuwait – 10%
Abu Dhabi – 9%
Iran – 9%
Venezuela – 6%
CIS – 5%
Mexico – 5%
Japan ranks second in oil consumption after the United States - 8%. This is followed by China - 5%, Germany and Russia - 4% each, South Korea, Italy, France, England - 3% each.
In 150 years, humanity has managed to use 65% of the world's oil reserves; the daily global oil consumption is 5 times higher than the amount that can be found in new deposits.
Scientists believe that the Persian Gulf is the last largest oil reserve. The world is finite and its reserves are not eternal. All the largest deposits have already been found and used, so it is quite possible that Muslim countries will soon control 100% of world oil exports.
Currently, the remaining oil is being extracted, both in the United States and around the world. Kuwait, whose territory is smaller than that of any American state, has three times more oil reserves than all North American states.
Russia's existing hydrocarbon reserves will last for 40-50 years. This statement was made by Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation Kirill Molodtsov at the St. Petersburg International Gas Forum (SPIGF).
Molodtsov’s words came in response to a statement by the head of Sberbank, who on Monday warned that the age of oil and gas is coming to an end; the time of this “mono-product” could end by 2028-2030.
Gref said on the air of the Posner program that, judging by all the trends, there will be no repetition of the super raw material cycle. “Historically, the exit from the mono-resource state of the economy is very painful,” noted the head of Sberbank.
“Gref expressed the most conservative position,” comments leading analyst at AMarkets Investment Company Artem Deev. “The fact is that at the moment the volume of explored oil fields is significantly decreasing from year to year, but at the same time we must take into account that new technologies are emerging that make it possible to extract hard-to-recover oil, as well as to find new reserves in old fields.”
As an example, Deev cited the situation with the Dulisminskoye field, which back in 2013 many experts called absolutely unpromising, but now its proven reserves have increased almost fourfold.
“That is why Gref’s position is overly conservative, yet the Ministry of Energy’s estimates are closer to reality,” Deev believes.
According to the analyst, the key risks that may hinder the extraction of raw materials are the deterioration of infrastructure, as well as a decrease in capital costs, since it will be much more difficult to resume production at old fields than to continue as usual.
Regarding the reduction in the number of oil and gas fields, the head of Gazprom, Alexey Miller, said on Tuesday at the SPIGF that this year there is the lowest level of discoveries in the world. “And that means an increase in reserves,” Miller said.
German Gref, speaking about the risks of resource shortages, noted that now we should focus on new dynamics by diversifying the economy.
By the way, the head of the Center for Strategic Research, the former Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation, said on Tuesday that Russia will be able to move to a non-resource economy in 10-12 years.
More precisely, we are talking about the fact that non-resource exports of the Russian Federation will exceed raw materials. “Only then will we talk about moving away from the “oil needle,” Kudrin said during the Atlanta Business forum.
As for hydrocarbon reserves, as the Minister of Natural Resources told Gazeta.Ru at the end of August, only already discovered proven (according to the international classification) oil reserves (about 15 billion tons) will be enough for about 30 years of production, based on today’s rates . But, taking into account technologically recoverable reserves, we can talk about 30 billion tons, that is, about 60 years.
Moreover, Donskoy previously pointed out that over the past decade Russia has at least ensured the restoration, and often an increase in reserves.
At the same time, in the Russian Federation, when estimating oil reserves, tar sands and shale oil are not taken into account. According to the leading expert of the Union of Oil and Gas Industrialists of Russia Rustam Tankaev, if they are included in the calculations, then the reserves will already amount to about 100 billion tons.
Estimates of Russia's gas reserves vary widely depending on the estimator. British BP believes that Russia has about 32.9 trillion cubic meters of gas in total, and puts the Russian Federation in second place after Iran in terms of reserves. However, Gazprom claims that its own reserves alone amount to 36 trillion cubic meters, and there are also such large producers as Rosneft and NOVATEK.
Even if we proceed from the more conservative point of view of BP, then, based on production in 2015 (635 billion cubic meters), there will be enough gas for more than 50 years.
If we rely on data from the Ministry of Natural Resources, then Russian gas reserves are much larger. As the ministry told Gazeta.Ru, Russia owns the world's largest raw material base of natural combustible gas.
“Its reserves in categories A+B+C1 (industrial reserves ready for development. - Gazeta.Ru) are estimated at 73.2 trillion cubic meters,” says the Ministry of Natural Resources. “Moreover, the growth potential is also very large - only the most reliable promising resources are estimated at another 31.2 trillion cubic meters.”
Thus, Russia will potentially have enough gas for more than 160 years.
How many years will the world's energy resources last? World reserves explored in 1980. Estimated world resources.
Slide 5 from the presentation "Renewable Energy Sources". The size of the archive with the presentation is 1089 KB.Physics 9th grade
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At the end of February, world oil prices showed a slight decline after five days of growth. However, prices remain near 10-month highs amid rising tensions over Iran's nuclear program. The dependence of the global financial system on the cost of energy resources is becoming increasingly obvious. Also, due to the increase in population, there is a growing shortage of other resources that ensure the life of humanity: food and fresh water. The International Organization of Creditors (WOC) Intelligence Service conducted a study to determine how long mankind's natural resources will last and how their shortage affects the global economy.
In the 70s last century, humanity's needs began to exceed the planet's ability to renew resources. Now, according to ecologists, it takes the Earth 1.5 years to reproduce what humanity consumes in a year.
“In recent years, about 25% and 20% of the planet’s resources were used by the United States and China. Accordingly, the remaining countries accounted for a little more than half of the Earth’s available reserves,” says WOC President Robert Abdullin. “Maintaining the life of the average American, for example, takes 3. 5 times more than the average per inhabitant of the Earth, and 9 times more than per 1 inhabitant of India or almost any African country."
In the context of significant population growth, both in the world as a whole and in individual countries, issues of availability of resources such as energy, water and food become relevant.
Energy resources
According to OPEC, developing countries control 2/3 of the world's oil reserves, the resource most needed by humanity, which is rapidly depleting. The largest share of the world's oil reserves is found in Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Russia is in 8th place according to this indicator. When recalculating reserves per capita, Kuwait becomes the leader, followed by the UAE and Qatar. At the current volumes of proven reserves and production volumes, humanity will have enough oil for no more than 50 years. In Russia, oil, at current production volumes, may run out in 21 years.
| State | Oil reserves, million barrels | Oil reserves, barrels per person. | How long will oil last at current production volumes, years | |
| 1 | Saudi Arabia | 262 600 | 9 527 | 72 |
| 2 | Venezuela | 211 200 | 7 237 | 234 |
| 3 | Canada | 175 200 | 5 144 | 26 |
| 4 | Iran | 137 00 | 1 833 | 88 |
| 5 | Iraq | 115 000 | 3 589 | 128 |
| 6 | Kuwait | 104 000 | 29 034 | 111 |
| 7 | UAE | 97 800 | 18 743 | 94 |
| 8 | Russia | 60 000 | 420 | 21 |
| 9 | Libya | 46 420 | 7 075 | 77 |
| 10 | Nigeria | 37 200 | 238 | 42 |
In terms of natural gas reserves, the Russian Federation is in first place in the world (47.5 trillion m3), followed by Iran and Qatar by a significant margin (29.6 trillion m3 and 25.4 trillion m3, respectively). With the current volumes of proven reserves and production volumes, this type of fuel will last humanity for just over 60 years. In Russia, natural gas reserves, other things being equal, will last almost 80 years.
| Place in the world by volume of reserves | State | Natural gas reserves, billion m3 | Natural gas reserves, thousand m3 per person. | How long will gas last at current production volumes, years? |
| 1 | Russia | 45 570 | 333 | 78 |
| 2 | Iran | 29 610 | 396 | 214 |
| 3 | Qatar | 25 370 | 14 924 | 217 |
| 4 | Saudi Arabia | 137 00 | 1 833 | 88 |
| 5 | USA | 7 807 | 283 | 93 |
| 6 | Turkmenistan | 7 504 | 1 380 | 197 |
Food
Population growth and, accordingly, an increase in demand for food resources provoke an increase in prices.
In terms of the availability of agricultural land and forest areas per capita, Russia is the undisputed leader among the countries considered, followed by Brazil and the United States. China and India are outsiders due to their high population density. In absolute terms, China's agricultural area is more than double that of Russia. As for the volume of grain produced, in per capita terms the United States is the leader, followed by Russia. The US leadership is explained by very high productivity in agriculture: grain yields in America are three times higher than, for example, in Russia.
Water
The leader in the availability of total renewable water resources among the countries considered is Brazil (8,233 billion m3 per year), followed by Russia (4,505 billion m3 per year). In India, this figure is 1,911 billion m3 per year, in Egypt this figure is much lower - 57 billion m3 per year. Brazil also ranks first in terms of the availability of total renewable water resources per capita (42,604 m3 per person per year), followed by the Russian Federation (31,511 m3 per person per year). For the USA, the figure is three times lower than for Russia. The low value of this indicator in China and India is explained by high population density, and in Egypt by the limited water resources of the region.
The growing shortage of energy, food and fresh water is a serious challenge for humanity. We must take into account that the world's population is growing: by 2025, according to UN forecasts, there will already be 8 billion of us. At the same time, there will be enough oil for the next 50 years, and natural gas for 60. The influence of states with sufficient reserves of natural resources on the world economy intensifies. This means that we are on the verge of a global turning point and a redistribution of vectors of influence on the planet.
Oil is a strategically important resource throughout the planet. This hydrocarbon raw material is familiar to everyone. It is used in many areas of life. It accumulates in layers of various rocks, serving as a kind of collector and protection from the harmful effects of the external environment. Despite all the fame, the importance of oil in the modern world can hardly be overestimated, since it is one of the main keys to the growth of the world economy. However, for some countries this is the main source of budget, because oil is in demand, and there are many countries willing to purchase it. For this reason, there was a shortage of raw materials. The world's proven oil reserves are being depleted, and new deposits have to be found so as not to cause an energy crisis.
Oil composition
What does this type of mineral consist of? Oil contains many substances. Among them, 90% are hydrocarbons, which indicates its organic origin. Atoms also contain hydrogens and carbons, and in small quantities almost the entire table of chemical elements.
Properties of oil
"Black Gold" is an oily substance ranging in color from red, slightly brownish to dark black. Oil is an excellent flammable substance. Some varieties have amazing properties. For example, some may be liquid in Siberia, but in Africa they will be solid. Oil is dangerous for the environment.
Origin of oil
Scientists are puzzling over many dilemmas. One of these perennial, controversial problems is the scientific basis for the origin of oil. The great Russian scientist Mikhail Lomonosov was the first to guess about its existence. But so far no one can give an exact formulation. Some come up with fabulous hypotheses. Others believe that oil is a substance of biological origin. However, even this logical and universally accepted point of view has its opponents, who believe that it was formed through the hydrocarbon cycle. If we adhere to the popular theory, then oil originates from the remains of organic matter - these can be animals, plants that have outlived their time. But it is worth noting that its composition differs in different regions of the world, which indicates that it was in different conditions and a kind of “traps” that did not allow it to mix with other impurities.
What is made from oil?
"Black blood" of modern civilization is used in many spheres of life. But oil as such is not used in its pure form. First it is cleaned and processed. During the initial processing cycle, it is divided into fractions. The main component of oil includes various types of fuel: gas, kerosene, gasoline for automobiles and aircraft, as well as diesel fuel. Secondary fuels include fuel oil and products of its further processing: paraffin, bitumen, oil, liquid fuel for boilers.
Application
All proven oil reserves in the world have practical applications, not only as fuel for equipment. Oil is also used as road surfaces, that is, by mixing bitumen with minerals, asphalt concrete or tar is obtained. No less popular is the use of petroleum products as fuel for heating premises.
Cosmetic use is known to many. Everyone knows the fact that oil is made from oil, on the basis of which ointments and creams are produced. Wax, toxic chemicals, plant fertilizers, dyes, solvents, paints and varnishes, dishwashing detergents, polymer films, plastic products, rubber, rubber, synthetics, fabrics - all of these are post-processing products. Vaseline is used to make a base for shampoos.
Look around, many people don’t even think about the great variety of objects of petroleum origin that surround us. Take the same toothbrush, keyboard, toys, even the exterior trim of cars, shoes. Metallurgists use such "unnecessary" elements of oil as coke residues, which are suitable for creating electrodes. Chemists obtain sulfuric acid from the “black liquid” and sulfur. But, despite all the usefulness of this raw material and its applicability in many areas, Mendeleev believed that the way oil is used is stupid. He was inclined to think that it needed to be used correctly, because burning it was unprofitable.
Varieties
Like plants, oil also has its own classification. It is divided according to various criteria: lightness, quality, uniformity. All oil reserves in the world have different compositions, and therefore have their own names and values. The standard of quality and cost is the Brent brand. Other companies adapt to it, making the price lower, because the other variety is heavier and contains impurities.
Sulfur is the main enemy of cars and engines, as it disrupts their functioning. Therefore, its content in oil should be less so that the fuel is not of low quality. The more sulfur is included in the composition, the lower the price. Unfortunately, Russian oil reserves are in little demand for this reason. There is no variety in the world that does not contain sulfur at all. But despite this, fuel requirements are becoming more stringent in this aspect. However, for Russia, not everything is so hopeless. The government is taking a number of actions to create conditions for improving the quality of oil and its ability to compete. In the meantime, its cost is slightly inferior to Brent brand products.
World oil reserves by country
There are oil fields in various countries. Where is the largest amount of this raw material?
How long will oil last? Venezuela possesses almost a fifth of all world reserves of this raw material. These are the largest oil reserves in the world. This country is also a leader in its production. But the palm in consumption, and this impressive number - 20 million barrels per day, is confidently held by the United States of America.
It is quite difficult to accurately answer the question of how much oil reserves there are in the world. Although, according to statisticians, this figure is approximately equal to 3000 billion barrels or 400 billion tons.
Russia has very impressive reserves, and in the near future there will be no need to purchase this product from other states (even if we do not have the largest oil reserves in the world). How long will this raw material last? Experts answer this question with caution. The study of the territory leaves much to be desired, but this gives an advantage, because it is unknown whether other large oil fields will be discovered on our native land. In addition, mining is carried out not only on land, but also at sea.
If you imagine how many barrels of this fuel are produced, your head will spin. But everyone understands that everything does not last forever, even no matter how huge the oil reserves in the world are. It is not known exactly how many years it will last, but according to conservative calculations by analysts, the raw material will run out after half a century of use. This takes into account the fact that oil consumption will not increase every year. But recently there has been a clear trend towards increasing the use of this hydrocarbon. Unfortunately, not all countries have oil reserves in the world, which also leads to its consumption in large quantities.
Self-healing theory
Along with the accepted explanation for the appearance of oil, there are other understandings of this process. One of these theories was proposed by the famous chemist Mendeleev. He believed that the world's oil reserves are formed not in millions, but in several hundreds and even decades, thanks to the regeneration of hydrocarbons in already depleted wells. This is proven by the fact that fields that have dried up are producing oil again. But this theory is always hushed up, and this raises suspicions. After all, there are interested parties in this, such as the owners of large mining companies who will control oil prices and sing praises that it will soon end.
Only future generations will be able to give us an exact answer. Perhaps the current theories are incorrect, and in the near future someone will discover the mystery associated with the appearance of oil and the processes that accompany this transformation. Naturally, the statement about its inorganic origin is more favorable for humanity; it gives hope that the main resource of the planet will not be depleted at all. But this theory says that carbon and hydrogen seep into the bowels of the Earth after tens or hundreds of years. Therefore, based on these arguments, people will have to create a work schedule at oil wells, as well as calculate all the nuances associated with restoration periods.
Conclusion
A final decision regarding the dispute over the occurrence of this hydrocarbon has not yet been made. Although there is a heated debate on this issue, since the facts confirm both positions to the same extent.
Despite the difference of opinion regarding the origin, people understand that whatever the world's oil reserves, humanity will one day have to look for alternative sources like it. And now scientists are racking their brains to create a prototype, that is, synthesized oil, as well as substances similar to it in properties and composition.
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