Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 23 Feb 2023

Methane plume detected in Iraq

On 23 Feb 2023, the EMIT - NASA satellite saw methane escaping at about 3,607 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

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

3,607 kg/h
± 812 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

If it continued at this rate for 24 hours it would release about 86.6 tonnes of methane.

Detected
23 Feb 2023 · 08:04 UTC
Satellite
EMIT - NASA
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the W · 1.5 m/s
Coordinates
36.30834, 43.08983
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
c1b05368-201b-460a-a67f-9264164f2430

Likely operator

North Oil Company Plausible

State-owned North Oil Company operates the Kirkuk-area fields.

Emitting site

IRQ_S_040 · Flare
16 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 c1b05368-201b-460a-a67f-9264164f2430, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/c1b05368-201b-460a-a67f-9264164f2430), accessed 5 Oct 2026.