Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 12 Apr 2025

Methane plume detected in Iraq

On 12 Apr 2025, the Landsat - NASA/USGS satellite saw methane escaping at about 7,012 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

Satellite map of methane plume locations in Iraq
Map imagery © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap © MaxarOpen the interactive map →

7,012 kg/h
± 2,373 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

If it continued at this rate for 24 hours it would release about 168 tonnes of methane.

Detected
12 Apr 2025 · 07:45 UTC
Satellite
Landsat - NASA/USGS
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the E · 2.8 m/s
Coordinates
36.30834, 43.08983
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
104e99ba-19ef-43d6-abbd-08fff984b68a

Likely operator

North Oil Company Plausible

State-owned North Oil Company operates the Kirkuk-area fields.

Emitting site

IRQ_S_040 · Flare
16 plumes detected at this site

Status

UNEP notified the government about this plume.

Nobody has reported contacting the operator through Methane Leaks yet.

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Cite as: UNEP IMEO MARS plume 104e99ba-19ef-43d6-abbd-08fff984b68a, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/104e99ba-19ef-43d6-abbd-08fff984b68a), accessed 4 Oct 2026.