Gazprom"s position as the world"s largest...

Alternative sources of natural gas extraction such as coal-bed methane and shale gas have become popular lately as Russia, Qatar and Iran, which account for about half of global natural gas reserves, have been reluctant to admit foreign companies to their gas deposits, Vedomosti reported.

According to the estimate of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), global reserves of alternative gas make up about 1,000 trillion cubic meters, with shale gas accounting for about half of these reserves, whereas traditional natural gas deposits can yield five times less (177.4 trillion cubic meters in CIA estimates, 194 trillion cubic meters in Gazprom estimates and 213 trillion cubic meters according to BP data), Vedomosti said.

Many countries can boast large reserves of alternative gas, with up to 120 trillion cu m found in the United States, 100 billion cu m in Russia, 70 billion cu m in the Middle East, 36 billion cu m in China and 22 trillion cu m in Australia. Large reserves

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