Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 6 Sep 2022

Methane plume detected in Iraq

On 6 Sep 2022, the Landsat - NASA/USGS satellite saw methane escaping at about 8,760 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

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

8,760 kg/h
± 3,293 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

If it continued at this rate for 24 hours it would release about 210 tonnes of methane.

Detected
6 Sep 2022 · 07:28 UTC
Satellite
Landsat - NASA/USGS
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the SE · 4.0 m/s
Coordinates
30.35194, 46.83427
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
8b8a2395-b6da-4a4f-b158-cdff73106d7f

Likely operator

Basra Oil Company Plausible

State-owned Basra Oil Company oversees the southern fields, several run with international contractors.

Emitting site

IRQ_S_006 · Tank batteries
7 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 8b8a2395-b6da-4a4f-b158-cdff73106d7f, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/8b8a2395-b6da-4a4f-b158-cdff73106d7f), accessed 4 Oct 2026.