Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 4 Feb 2023

Methane plume detected in Iraq

On 4 Feb 2023, the Sentinel-2 - ESA satellite saw methane escaping at about 4,037 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

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

4,037 kg/h
± 1,275 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

If it continued at this rate for 24 hours it would release about 96.9 tonnes of methane.

Detected
4 Feb 2023 · 07:31 UTC
Satellite
Sentinel-2 - ESA
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the NE · 2.3 m/s
Coordinates
30.27307, 47.7438
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
2e98accc-dc53-4f4d-8136-5c7796b8812d

Likely operator

Basra Oil Company Plausible

State-owned Basra Oil Company oversees the southern fields, several run with international contractors.

Emitting site

IRQ_S_009 · Flare
35 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 2e98accc-dc53-4f4d-8136-5c7796b8812d, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/2e98accc-dc53-4f4d-8136-5c7796b8812d), accessed 5 Oct 2026.