Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 30 Mar 2026

Methane plume detected in Iraq

On 30 Mar 2026, the EMIT - NASA satellite saw methane escaping at about 2,170 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

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

2,170 kg/h
± 740 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

If it continued at this rate for 24 hours it would release about 52.1 tonnes of methane.

Detected
30 Mar 2026 · 08:48 UTC
Satellite
EMIT - NASA
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the E · 3.7 m/s
Coordinates
34.99329, 43.5058
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
30782e30-d806-4e10-be65-f2f987a3593a

Likely operator

North Oil Company Plausible

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

Emitting site

IRQ_S_083 · Pipeline
13 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 30782e30-d806-4e10-be65-f2f987a3593a, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/30782e30-d806-4e10-be65-f2f987a3593a), accessed 5 Oct 2026.