Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 20 Mar 2023

Methane plume detected in Turkmenistan

On 20 Mar 2023, the Sentinel-2 - ESA satellite saw methane escaping at about 10,504 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

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

10,504 kg/h
± 3,937 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

If it continued at this rate for 24 hours it would release about 252 tonnes of methane.

Detected
20 Mar 2023 · 07:06 UTC
Satellite
Sentinel-2 - ESA
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the W · 4.0 m/s
Coordinates
38.64898, 54.28074
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
92872805-4c45-42d1-9b7d-c426c6a7484f

Likely operator

Turkmennebit Plausible

State concern Türkmennebit operates the Balkan-province oil fields (Goturdepe, Barsa-gelmez, Nebitdag, Körpeje, Gamyşlyja, Çeleken).

Emitting site

TKM_S_046 · O&G facility (generic)
131 plumes detected at this site

Status

UNEP has not recorded a notification for this plume.

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Cite as: UNEP IMEO MARS plume 92872805-4c45-42d1-9b7d-c426c6a7484f, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/92872805-4c45-42d1-9b7d-c426c6a7484f), accessed 6 Oct 2026.