Reserve Definitions

SEC
Reserves Classification
2003-2004 Petrobjects
www.petrobjects.com
In 1975, as part of the reaction to the energy crisis, the SEC was interested
only in the proved oil and gas reserves. They came up with the following definition:
Proved oil and gas reserves are the estimated quantities of crude oil,
natural gas, and natural gas liquids which geological and engineering data
reveal with reasonable certainty to be recoverable in future years from
known reservoirs under existing economic and operating conditions; i.e.
prices and costs as of the date the estimate is made. Prices include
consideration of changes in existing prices provided only by contractual
arrangements, but not on escalations based upon future conditions.
This is virtually identical to the existing SPE (1965) definition except for the
addition of the phrase, i.e., prices and costs as of the date the estimate is made.
and the final sentence.
Reservoirs are considered proved if economic producibility is supported by either
actual production or conclusive formation test. The area of a reservoir considered
proved includes:
That portion delineated by drilling and defined by gas-oil and/or oil-water
contacts, if any.
The immediately adjoining portions not yet drilled, but which can be
reasonably judged as economically productive on the basis of available
geological and engineering data. In the absence of information of fluid
contacts, the lowest known structural occurrence of hydrocarbons controls the
lower proved limit of the reservoir.
Reserves which can be produced economically through the application of
improved recovery techniques (such as fluid injection) are included in the proved
classification only when successful testing by a pilot project, or the operation of an
installed program in the reservoir, provides support for the engineering analysis on
which the project or program was based. Estimates of the proved reserves do not
include the following:
Oil that may become available from known reservoirs but is classified
separately as indicated additional reserves.
Crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids, the recovery of which is
subject to reasonable doubt because of uncertainty as to geology,
reservoir characteristics, or economic factors.
Crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids, that may occur in undrilled
prospects.
Crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids, that may be recovered from
oil shales, coal and other such sources.
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SEC
Reserves Classification
www.petrobjects.com
The SEC has divided the proved oil and gas reserves into two categories:
1. Developed: Proved Developed Oil and Gas Reserves are reserves that are
expected to be recovered from existing wells with existing equipment and
operating methods. Reserves that can be recovered using improved recovery
techniques are included only after testing by a pilot project or after the
operation of an installed program has confirmed through production response
that increased recovery will be achieved.
2. Undeveloped: Proved Undeveloped Oil and Gas Reserves are the oil and gas
reserves that are expected to be recovered from new wells on undrilled
acreage, or from existing wells where a relatively major expenditure is
required for recompletion. Reserves on undrilled acreage shall be limited to
those drilling units offsetting productive units that are reasonably certain of
production when drilled. Proved reserves for other undrilled units can be
claimed only where it can be demonstrated with certainty that there is
continuity of production from the existing productive formation. Under no
circumstances should estimates for proved undeveloped reserves be
attributable to any acreage for which an application of fluid injection or other
improved recovery technique is contemplated, unless such techniques have
been proved effective by actual tests in the area and in the same reservoir.
The SEC regulations are probably, at least partially, responsible for the
interpretation of the SPE definition regarding price/cost escalation. Note that, for
SEC purposes, only Proved reserves are reported. Since the SEC language is
identical to the 1965 SPE language, with the exception of the additional language to
define existing economic conditions, evaluators began to apply the same nonescalation criteria to the SPE definition. A classic case is of the tail wagging the dog.
It is of interest, then, that in 1981 SPE issued definitions which still used
existing economic conditions to define Proved reserves, with no further
elaboration or description. One is left to wonder if SPE intended existing or
current economic conditions to mean the same thing as the SEC definition and, if
so, why they did not also include the same or a similar, descriptive phrase. In fact,
none of the SPE definitions subsequent to the SEC definitions, even the far more
wordy 1987 and 1998 versions, go that far but only refer to inclusion of prices and
costs prevailing at the time of the estimate, a substantially less demanding
criteria.
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