Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 7 Oct 2023

Methane plume detected in Iraq

On 7 Oct 2023, the Sentinel-2 - ESA satellite saw methane escaping at about 4,839 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

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

4,839 kg/h
± 1,843 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

If it continued at this rate for 24 hours it would release about 116 tonnes of methane.

Detected
7 Oct 2023 · 07:27 UTC
Satellite
Sentinel-2 - ESA
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the SE · 4.3 m/s
Coordinates
30.35226, 46.83797
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
49c9269e-a1a3-47b2-a52a-152f3cbf00c6

Likely operator

Basra Oil Company Plausible

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

Emitting site

IRQ_S_008 · Flare
8 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.

Push for action

Find the operator's contact details and send a ready-made, evidence-based email in about two minutes.

Write to the operator →
Is this attribution wrong?

If you operate this site, or know who does, tell us. Operators get a right of reply, and corrections are reviewed within a week.

Get alerts for IRQ_S_008

We'll email you when UNEP publishes new plumes here. No account needed. Unsubscribe in one click.

We only use your email to send these alerts.

Cite as: UNEP IMEO MARS plume 49c9269e-a1a3-47b2-a52a-152f3cbf00c6, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/49c9269e-a1a3-47b2-a52a-152f3cbf00c6), accessed 6 Oct 2026.