Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 18 Jan 2026

Methane plume detected in Venezuela

On 18 Jan 2026, the EMIT - NASA satellite saw methane escaping at about 2,480 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

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

2,480 kg/h
± 881 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

If it continued at this rate for 24 hours it would release about 59.5 tonnes of methane.

Detected
18 Jan 2026 · 18:11 UTC
Satellite
EMIT - NASA
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the W · 4.3 m/s
Coordinates
8.40613, -64.79417
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
cd77111f-8a7b-4d77-b926-3cf71f434f33

Likely operator

PDVSA Plausible

State company PDVSA operates or controls the mixed companies running Venezuelan fields.

Emitting site

VEN_S_039 · O&G facility (generic)
1 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 cd77111f-8a7b-4d77-b926-3cf71f434f33, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/cd77111f-8a7b-4d77-b926-3cf71f434f33), accessed 6 Oct 2026.