Table C4. Assumed Lower 48 Natural Gas Resource Base as of January 1, 1998

Table C4. Assumed Lower 48 Natural Gas Resource Base as of January 1, 1998
(Trillion Cubic Feet)

Resource	NPC Study	EIA Study^a
Resource	NPC Study	Accelerated Depletion Case	Reference Case
Proved Reserves^b	157	157	157
New Field Discoveries	633	450	450
Reserve Growth	^c222	253	253
Unconventional Gas	454	420	502
New Plays	371	—	—
Old Plays	^c83	—	—
Total	1,446	1,280	1,362
aAfter allocating 124 trillion cubic feet of associated gas to new fields (94 trillion cubic feet) and reserve growth (30 trillion cubic feet). The estimated proved reserves of associated gas do not influence production in the NEMS Oil and Gas Supply Module but are included in the Resource Table to provide a total gas resource accounting that is consistent with other EIA reports. ^bTotal U.S. proved reserves are estimated at 167 trillion cubic feet in both studies. ^cAfter allocating 83 trillion cubic feet of reserve growth in old tight gas plays to unconventional gas. Sources: National Petroleum Council, Natural Gas: Meeting the Challenges of the Nation’s Growing Natural Gas Demand (Washington, DC, December 1999); and Energy Information Administration, Office of Integrated Analysis and Forecasting, National Energy Modeling System runs OGBASE.D051200A and OGDEPL.D051200A.