Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 24 Feb 2023

Methane plume detected in China

On 24 Feb 2023, the EMIT - NASA satellite saw methane escaping at about 1,087 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

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

1,087 kg/h
± 244 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

If it continued at this rate for 24 hours it would release about 26.1 tonnes of methane.

Detected
24 Feb 2023 · 04:11 UTC
Satellite
EMIT - NASA
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the NE · 1.4 m/s
Coordinates
37.30984, 94.27167
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
182a7697-3e0e-40d0-9b0c-8377e5e8fdbc

Likely operator

PetroChina Plausible

PetroChina's Qinghai Oilfield operates the Qaidam basin.

Emitting site

CHN_S_012 · O&G facility (generic)
2 plumes detected at this site

Status

UNEP has not recorded a notification for this plume.

Nobody has reported contacting the operator through Methane Leaks yet.

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Cite as: UNEP IMEO MARS plume 182a7697-3e0e-40d0-9b0c-8377e5e8fdbc, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/182a7697-3e0e-40d0-9b0c-8377e5e8fdbc), accessed 5 Oct 2026.