Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 12 Feb 2025

Methane plume detected in China

On 12 Feb 2025, the EMIT - NASA satellite saw methane escaping at about 2,902 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

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

2,902 kg/h
± 707 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

If it continued at this rate for 24 hours it would release about 69.6 tonnes of methane.

Detected
12 Feb 2025 · 07:32 UTC
Satellite
EMIT - NASA
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the W · 1.7 m/s
Coordinates
38.39391, 91.41823
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
490de85d-5ccd-4a90-b17b-e9dd9b281ff2

Likely operator

PetroChina Plausible

PetroChina's Qinghai Oilfield operates the Qaidam basin.

Emitting site

CHN_S_746 · Flare
1 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 490de85d-5ccd-4a90-b17b-e9dd9b281ff2, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/490de85d-5ccd-4a90-b17b-e9dd9b281ff2), accessed 6 Oct 2026.