Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 20 Mar 2026

Methane plume detected in Libya

On 20 Mar 2026, the Sentinel-2 - ESA satellite saw methane escaping at about 2,858 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

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

2,858 kg/h
± 1,185 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

If it continued at this rate for 24 hours it would release about 68.6 tonnes of methane.

Detected
20 Mar 2026 · 09:07 UTC
Satellite
Sentinel-2 - ESA
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the SE · 6.3 m/s
Coordinates
28.75741, 22.79604
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
1c8f94fa-aaf9-4c77-8247-71e17c076546

Likely operator

Arabian Gulf Oil Company Plausible

AGOCO, a National Oil Corporation subsidiary, operates the eastern Sirte-basin fields (Sarir, Messla, Nafoora).

Emitting site

LBY_S_050 · Flare
12 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 1c8f94fa-aaf9-4c77-8247-71e17c076546, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/1c8f94fa-aaf9-4c77-8247-71e17c076546), accessed 5 Oct 2026.