Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 12 Jun 2023

Methane plume detected in China

On 12 Jun 2023, the EMIT - NASA satellite saw methane escaping at about 276 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

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

276 kg/h
± 150 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

If it continued at this rate for 24 hours it would release about 6.6 tonnes of methane.

Detected
12 Jun 2023 · 02:24 UTC
Satellite
EMIT - NASA
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the NW · 3.7 m/s
Coordinates
37.3523, 94.15034
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
689090ca-efa8-46e7-b77b-c0056368bfac

Likely operator

PetroChina Plausible

PetroChina's Qinghai Oilfield operates the Qaidam basin.

Emitting site

CHN_S_043 · O&G facility (generic)
2 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 689090ca-efa8-46e7-b77b-c0056368bfac, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/689090ca-efa8-46e7-b77b-c0056368bfac), accessed 4 Oct 2026.