USGS Assessment Significantly Increases
Afghanistan Petroleum Resource Base
USGS/Embassy of Afghanistan
03/14/2006
The USGS and the Government of Afghanistan Ministry of Mines
and Industry have completed the first-ever assessment of Afghanistan’s
undiscovered petroleum resources and have determined that the
resource base is significantly greater than previously understood.
The assessment was conducted over the past two years, with funding
provided by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency.
The estimates increase the oil resources by 18
times and more than triple the natural gas resources.
Undiscovered petroleum resources in the assessed
region of northern Afghanistan range from 3.581 to 36.462 trillion
cubic feet (TCF) of natural gas, with a mean of 15.687 TCF.
Estimates of oil range from 0.391 to 3.559 billion barrels (BBO),
with a mean of 1.596 BB0. Estimates for natural gas liquids
range from 126 to 1,325 million barrels (MMB) with a mean of
562 MMB.
When presented with the resource assessment results,
Afghanistan President Karzai commented, “I am delighted
that the work of the survey of Afghanistan's mineral and underground
resources is proceeding well, and that some very positive findings
about our petroleum resources are being reported. Knowing more
about our country's petroleum resources will enable us to take
steps to develop our energy potential which is crucial for our
country's growth. I thank the United States, the U.S. Geological
Survey and their Afghan counterparts in supporting this survey,
which I believe is a significant undertaking.”
The country currently imports most of its energy,
including electricity. The petroleum resource assessment provides
Afghanistan with information needed for conducting future lease
sales and is likely to be of interest to oil and gas exploration
companies.
Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton commented,
“As President Bush’s recent trip to Afghanistan
demonstrates, the United States highly values its relationship
with the Afghan people. We are pleased to be able to assist
their government in evaluating Afghanistan's petroleum resources.
By working jointly, we are helping Afghanistan lay the foundation
for better understanding and managing their nation’s natural
resources.”
Much of the petroleum resource potential of Afghanistan
and all of the known crude oil and natural gas reserves are
in northern Afghanistan, located in parts of two geologic basins
- the Amu Darya Basin to the west and the Afghan-Tajik
Basin to the east. Most of the undiscovered crude oil is in
the Afghan-Tajik Basin, and most of the undiscovered natural
gas is in the Amu Darya Basin.
The assessment follows the widely-accepted, standard
USGS methodology and protocol. It is based on the geologic elements
of a total petroleum system and data from detailed studies of
geochemistry, petroleum geology, geophysics, and tectonics combined
with historical exploration and production analyses were used
to aid in the estimation of the number and sizes of undiscovered
petroleum accumulations. The total area assessed is approximately
86,000 sq km.
Afghanistan is a land-locked country, bordering
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan to the north, Iran
to the west and Pakistan to the east and south.
Results of the assessment can be found at: http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2006/3031/
For updates of this work, check http://energy.usgs.gov
The USGS serves the nation by providing reliable
scientific information to describe and understand the Earth;
minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage
water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance
and protect our quality of life.
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