Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 17 Oct 2025

Methane plume detected in Iraq

On 17 Oct 2025, the EMIT - NASA satellite saw methane escaping at about 3,399 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

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

3,399 kg/h
± 1,310 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

If it continued at this rate for 24 hours it would release about 81.6 tonnes of methane.

Detected
17 Oct 2025 · 09:19 UTC
Satellite
EMIT - NASA
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the S · 5.8 m/s
Coordinates
30.27307, 47.7438
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
e32ba4ff-7c65-4d28-8927-5c39a53c4482

Likely operator

Basra Oil Company Plausible

State-owned Basra Oil Company oversees the southern fields, several run with international contractors.

Emitting site

IRQ_S_009 · Flare
38 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 e32ba4ff-7c65-4d28-8927-5c39a53c4482, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/e32ba4ff-7c65-4d28-8927-5c39a53c4482), accessed 5 Oct 2026.