Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 21 Aug 2026

Methane plume detected in Venezuela

On 21 Aug 2026, the EMIT - NASA satellite saw methane escaping at about 1,475 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

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

1,475 kg/h
± 495 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

If it continued at this rate for 24 hours it would release about 35.4 tonnes of methane.

Detected
21 Aug 2026 · 16:36 UTC
Satellite
EMIT - NASA
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the NE · 3.4 m/s
Coordinates
9.86487, -71.22457
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
4247ebd5-1167-46c5-94c8-983f37198d97

Likely operator

PDVSA Plausible

State company PDVSA operates or controls the mixed companies running Venezuelan fields.

Emitting site

VEN_S_144 · Production Offshore
1 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 4247ebd5-1167-46c5-94c8-983f37198d97, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/4247ebd5-1167-46c5-94c8-983f37198d97), accessed 5 Oct 2026.