Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 23 Feb 2026

Methane plume detected in Iran

On 23 Feb 2026, the Sentinel-5P/TROPOMI - ESA satellite saw methane escaping at about 17,000 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

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

17,000 kg/h
± 8,000 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

If it continued at this rate for 24 hours it would release about 408 tonnes of methane.

Detected
23 Feb 2026 · 10:38 UTC
Satellite
Sentinel-5P/TROPOMI - ESA
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the N · 2.4 m/s
Coordinates
31.34, 48.96
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
5be8f13b-849a-491d-9210-6426047d7a52

Likely operator

National Iranian South Oil Company Plausible

NISOC, a NIOC subsidiary, operates the Khuzestan onshore fields (Ahvaz, Marun, Aghajari, Gachsaran).

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 5be8f13b-849a-491d-9210-6426047d7a52, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/5be8f13b-849a-491d-9210-6426047d7a52), accessed 4 Oct 2026.