Venezuela's Natural Gas Reserves 2020-2024

According to data from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), global proven natural gas reserves reached 208.89 trillion cubic meters in 2024.

Proven natural gas reserves are an estimated total quantity of hydrocarbons statistically defined as natural gas.

These reserves consist of natural gas, both associated and non-associated gas, which, based on geoscience and engineering data analysis, can be estimated with reasonable certainty to be commercially recoverable.

By country, Venezuela is among the largest holders of natural gas reserves, with an estimated volume of 5.51 trillion cubic meters, equivalent to 2.64% of the total global natural gas reserves in 2024.

This volume places Venezuela in ninth position as the country with the largest natural gas reserves in the world.

During 2020-2024, Venezuela's natural gas reserves consistently stood at 5.5 trillion cubic meters, except for 2023 when the volume was 5.48 trillion cubic meters, as shown in the chart above.

Now, Venezuela's natural resources are under scrutiny after the United States (US) military arrested Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in an operation on Saturday (January 3, 2026) early morning.

Both were arrested and escorted onto the US warship USS Iwo Jima. Maduro will be prosecuted on charges from the US Department of Justice, which accused him of involvement in drug terrorism in 2020.

Speaking to reporters hours after Maduro's arrest, US President Donald Trump revealed plans to sell large quantities of Venezuelan oil to other countries.

"We're going to run this country until such time as we can have a safe, proper, and wise transition," Trump said in a press conference at Mar-a-Lago as quoted by Katadata.co.id from Associated Press, Sunday (January 4, 2026).