Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 4 Aug 2023

Methane plume detected in China

On 4 Aug 2023, the EMIT - NASA satellite saw methane escaping at about 1,364 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

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

1,364 kg/h
± 712 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

If it continued at this rate for 24 hours it would release about 32.7 tonnes of methane.

Detected
4 Aug 2023 · 05:21 UTC
Satellite
EMIT - NASA
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the N · 2.9 m/s
Coordinates
37.30777, 94.30013
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
82ea7825-a6ae-4155-97d6-23591bdf44d5

Likely operator

PetroChina Plausible

PetroChina's Qinghai Oilfield operates the Qaidam basin.

Emitting site

CHN_S_051 · O&G facility (generic)
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 82ea7825-a6ae-4155-97d6-23591bdf44d5, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/82ea7825-a6ae-4155-97d6-23591bdf44d5), accessed 5 Oct 2026.