Gas reserves in Australia
Australia: Gas reserves was 3.23 trillion cubic meters in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Gas reserves in Australia, 1980–2021
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in cubic meters.
Analysis
Australia recorded 3.23 trillion cubic meters for gas reserves in 2021. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
The figure is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 3.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gas reserves in Australia peaked at 3.23 trillion cubic meters in 2021 and was at its lowest, 426.37 billion cubic meters, in 1992.
That places Australia 14th out of 215 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Gas reserves in Australia, year by year
| Year | cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 877.82 billion cubic meters | — |
| 1981 | 849.50 billion cubic meters | -3.2% |
| 1982 | 529.52 billion cubic meters | -37.7% |
| 1983 | 503.13 billion cubic meters | -5.0% |
| 1984 | 500.70 billion cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 1985 | 505.46 billion cubic meters | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 515.93 billion cubic meters | +2.1% |
| 1987 | 528.96 billion cubic meters | +2.5% |
| 1988 | 526.98 billion cubic meters | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 470.99 billion cubic meters | -10.6% |
| 1990 | 466.29 billion cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 437.01 billion cubic meters | -6.3% |
| 1992 | 426.37 billion cubic meters | -2.4% |
| 1993 | 516.90 billion cubic meters | +21.2% |
| 1994 | 555.21 billion cubic meters | +7.4% |
| 1995 | 555.18 billion cubic meters | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 568.66 billion cubic meters | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 550.17 billion cubic meters | -3.3% |
| 1998 | 550.17 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 1.26 trillion cubic meters | +129.7% |
| 2000 | 1.26 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 1.26 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 2.55 trillion cubic meters | +101.6% |
| 2003 | 2.55 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 2.55 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 821.19 billion cubic meters | -67.8% |
| 2006 | 782.68 billion cubic meters | -4.7% |
| 2007 | 859.98 billion cubic meters | +9.9% |
| 2008 | 849.50 billion cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 849.50 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 3.11 trillion cubic meters | +266.7% |
| 2011 | 3.11 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 788.62 billion cubic meters | -74.7% |
| 2013 | 1.22 trillion cubic meters | +54.5% |
| 2014 | 1.22 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 860.83 billion cubic meters | -29.4% |
| 2016 | 860.83 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1.99 trillion cubic meters | +131.0% |
| 2018 | 3.21 trillion cubic meters | +61.7% |
| 2019 | 3.21 trillion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 3.20 trillion cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 3.23 trillion cubic meters | +0.9% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gas reserves in Australia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | +266.7% | 849.50 billion cubic meters | 3.11 trillion cubic meters |
| 2017 | +131.0% | 860.83 billion cubic meters | 1.99 trillion cubic meters |
| 1999 | +129.7% | 550.17 billion cubic meters | 1.26 trillion cubic meters |
| 2002 | +101.6% | 1.26 trillion cubic meters | 2.55 trillion cubic meters |
| 2012 | -74.7% | 3.11 trillion cubic meters | 788.62 billion cubic meters |
| 2005 | -67.8% | 2.55 trillion cubic meters | 821.19 billion cubic meters |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 580.90 billion cubic meters | 470.99 billion cubic meters | 877.82 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 589.00 billion cubic meters | 426.37 billion cubic meters | 1.26 trillion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.43 trillion cubic meters | 782.68 billion cubic meters | 2.55 trillion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.96 trillion cubic meters | 788.62 billion cubic meters | 3.21 trillion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.21 trillion cubic meters | 3.20 trillion cubic meters | 3.23 trillion cubic meters | 2 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More energy & mining data for Australia
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -0.4235 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0.0001 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0.0001 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 11.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gas reserves in Australia?
- Gas reserves in Australia was 3.23 trillion cubic meters in 2021, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gas reserves recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 3.23 trillion cubic meters in 2021.
- What is the lowest gas reserves recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 426.37 billion cubic meters in 1992.
- How does Australia rank for gas reserves?
- Australia ranks 14th out of 215 countries with data for 2021.
- Is gas reserves rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from U.S. Energy Information Administration (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Gas reserves. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 42 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Proved reserves, measured in cubic meters, are generally those quantities that can be recovered in the future from known reservoirs under existing economic and operating conditions, according to geological and engineering information.