Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 23 Jun 2025

Methane plume detected in China

On 23 Jun 2025, the EMIT - NASA satellite saw methane escaping at about 3,361 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

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

3,361 kg/h
± 1,352 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

If it continued at this rate for 24 hours it would release about 80.7 tonnes of methane.

Detected
23 Jun 2025 · 03:40 UTC
Satellite
EMIT - NASA
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the SE · 7.0 m/s
Coordinates
37.30735, 94.25772
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
6cafbf27-e99e-4114-b393-7d1b5b5bc294

Likely operator

PetroChina Plausible

PetroChina's Qinghai Oilfield operates the Qaidam basin.

Emitting site

CHN_S_359 · Flare
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 6cafbf27-e99e-4114-b393-7d1b5b5bc294, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/6cafbf27-e99e-4114-b393-7d1b5b5bc294), accessed 6 Oct 2026.