Which term describes resources not yet discovered but potentially recoverable from undiscovered accumulations?

Which term describes resources not yet discovered but potentially recoverable from undiscovered accumulations?

• A. Prospective Resources
• B. Play
• C. Undeveloped Reserves
• D. Contingent Resources

Answer: (A)

Prospective resources describe quantities of oil or gas that are not yet discovered but are potentially recoverable from undiscovered accumulations. They are estimated for areas where exploration has not yet drilled, using geological knowledge, analogs from similar plays, and seismic data to gauge what might exist and be recoverable if found and developed. This focus on undiscovered potential is what makes this term the right fit. In contrast, undeveloped reserves are already discovered but not yet produced; contingent resources are discovered resources whose development isn’t yet assured to be commercially viable; and a play is a geological concept or trend used to identify potential reservoirs, not a resource quantity itself.

Prospective resources describe quantities of oil or gas that are not yet discovered but are potentially recoverable from undiscovered accumulations. They are estimated for areas where exploration has not yet drilled, using geological knowledge, analogs from similar plays, and seismic data to gauge what might exist and be recoverable if found and developed. This focus on undiscovered potential is what makes this term the right fit. In contrast, undeveloped reserves are already discovered but not yet produced; contingent resources are discovered resources whose development isn’t yet assured to be commercially viable; and a play is a geological concept or trend used to identify potential reservoirs, not a resource quantity itself.