Fig.9 Saudi Arabia is dominating in oil, CIS and Iran are dominating more in gas. About 70 percent of known world oil reserves fall inside a strategic ellipse , spreading form Middle East to Western Siberia. Regarding natural gas about 65 percent of world reserves fall inside this strategic ellipse , but extending somewhat more to the north. Russia is in an exceptional position in relation to reserves and resources. Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Algeria, Norway and Netherlands have important reserves and resources of natural gas.
Static lifetime is the quotient of actual reserves and last production given in years.
In this process the primary values, i.e. reserves and production are always changing. Progress in exploration and production is adding new reserves, faster production decreases reserves as well as production depending on demand and production capacities. From historic point of view static lifetime for oil and gas was more or less constant without significant fluctuations especially during the last years. That is explained by the fact, that hydrocarbon exploration is very cost-intensive and oil companies are only exploring to this extent to maintain and secure production. This trend continues so far as the resource base is adequate and the oil price gives a financial incentive level for further exploration.