Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 24 Feb 2023

Methane plume detected in China

On 24 Feb 2023, the EMIT - NASA satellite saw methane escaping at about 3,343 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

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

3,343 kg/h
± 1,676 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

If it continued at this rate for 24 hours it would release about 80.2 tonnes of methane.

Detected
24 Feb 2023 · 04:11 UTC
Satellite
EMIT - NASA
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the NE · 1.4 m/s
Coordinates
37.29922, 94.3051
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
89647e77-320b-4b48-a441-939b92ab0495

Likely operator

PetroChina Plausible

PetroChina's Qinghai Oilfield operates the Qaidam basin.

Emitting site

CHN_S_028 · 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 89647e77-320b-4b48-a441-939b92ab0495, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/89647e77-320b-4b48-a441-939b92ab0495), accessed 5 Oct 2026.