bunyonhead,

They have to push Kuwaiti reserves back because it already hit the media that proved reserves are below 30 Gb. The government is aware and taking measures to restrain production - Kuwait can be one of the first countries to "sign" the Oil Depletion Protocol.

Total phantom 2P reserves in the ME stand at 300Gb. Take that from the 2P reserves given by IHS and you get Laherrère's 800 Gb plus Tar Sands.

Thanks Luis.

Euan, is there any possibility that IHS would make available Remaining Liquid Resource Estimate charts for the other ME countries as they have done for Kuwait?

They are (rightfully) proud that their plotted reserves tallied pretty well with Kuwait until 1984 when Kuwait arbitrarily increased reserves for OPEC quota purposes, and that subsequent announcements have proved them right.

They are also very scathing about the Oil & Gas Journal's estimates remianing largely unchanged for many years in certain cases, which criticism also seems justified

Do their curves look similar for other ME OPEC producers as they do for Kuwait? If not, would that not show some inconsistency in their methodology? How do they rationalise such inconsistency (it is exists) in the light of their criticism of O&GJ?

Buyonhead, a very good question.  I would love to see their Iraq, KSA, UAE and Iran charts as they stand now.

I'm a great fan of history matching forecasts - see how forecasts match reality after a couple of years.

I could ask Ken Chew if he could make these available.

Euan Mearns,  
Thank you for posting.  I'm a bit confused with IHS owning CERA and CERA having there latest report that seems to have reserves 'inflated'.
The picture I'm starting to get is that there are a few people such as Mr Chew that are in the know and are getting worried.  Worried to the point that they are starting to break from the pack and try to get the word out.
Honestly, your post is less than comforting. I feel I must have that 'Bambi in the headlights' look on my face while I read this stuff.
I'm convinved that people at least in America will not "power down" of thier own free will.  "crywolf"- the humor is obvious. :( OMG what a mess.
I'm a bit confused with IHS owning CERA and CERA having there latest report that seems to have reserves 'inflated'.

So am I.

CERA are bearers of good news, and they get paid handsomly by those who wish to buy good news.

Objectivity and credibility are TOD objectives - objectivity is of course in the eye of the beholder.  One thing I learned is that IHS maintain a huge data base about which they are very proud.

To understand how that data base can be used to estimate global "reserves" and future production is another matter - open to debate.

"there" should be thier sorry english isn't my strong suit