Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 20 Aug 2026

Methane plume detected in Libya

On 20 Aug 2026, the Sentinel-5P/TROPOMI - ESA satellite saw methane escaping at about 6,000 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

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

6,000 kg/h
± 2,000 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

If it continued at this rate for 24 hours it would release about 144 tonnes of methane.

Detected
20 Aug 2026 · 11:46 UTC
Satellite
Sentinel-5P/TROPOMI - ESA
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the SE · 0.9 m/s
Coordinates
29.68, 19.94
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
dbab25b1-0fed-49af-bc2c-84ad573d85e7

Likely operator

National Oil Corporation Plausible

Libya's National Oil Corporation and its subsidiaries operate the country's fields.

Status

UNEP has not recorded a notification for this plume.

Nobody has reported contacting the operator through Methane Leaks yet.

Push for action

Find the operator's contact details and send a ready-made, evidence-based email in about two minutes.

Write to the operator →

Get alerts for Libya

We'll email you when UNEP publishes new plumes here. No account needed. Unsubscribe in one click.

We only use your email to send these alerts.

Cite as: UNEP IMEO MARS plume dbab25b1-0fed-49af-bc2c-84ad573d85e7, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/dbab25b1-0fed-49af-bc2c-84ad573d85e7), accessed 5 Oct 2026.