This fate would undermine the rational for additional private-sector investment, resulting in fewer discoveries and smaller total proven reserves.

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To put this into perspective, Chesapeake as a whole holds around 2.6 billion boe in total proven reserves, implying that the firm would be giving up just under 3% of its proved reserves.

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But by accounting for further development, continual technology advances such as horizontal drilling and supportive prices, the U.S. Geological Survey calculates that 86% of total U.S. proven reserves are additions to original numbers.

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Sudanese Energy Ministry officials estimate proven reserves in the Melut Basin at 700 million barrels and total reserves at five billion barrels.

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Proven and probable mineable reserves total 2.018 million ounces at an average gold grade of 2.06 grams per ton gold.

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The company owns varied working interest (25% -100%) in strategic oil prone properties with a total of 58, 458 acres, proven reserves of 1.75 MMBOE with current production levels of over 500-700 BOPD.

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Total is one of the largest integrated energy companies in Europe with more than 11 billion barrels of proven reserves.

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