Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 27 Sep 2022

Methane plume detected in Iraq

On 27 Sep 2022, the Landsat - NASA/USGS satellite saw methane escaping at about 3,374 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

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

3,374 kg/h
± 660 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

If it continued at this rate for 24 hours it would release about 81.0 tonnes of methane.

Detected
27 Sep 2022 · 07:45 UTC
Satellite
Landsat - NASA/USGS
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the NW · 0.8 m/s
Coordinates
36.30834, 43.08983
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
cf4e1f40-7e37-43c0-b5fb-c7212345cc59

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 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 cf4e1f40-7e37-43c0-b5fb-c7212345cc59, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/cf4e1f40-7e37-43c0-b5fb-c7212345cc59), accessed 5 Oct 2026.