Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 16 Mar 2026

Methane plume detected in Venezuela

On 16 Mar 2026, the EnMAP - DLR satellite saw methane escaping at about 2,129 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

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

2,129 kg/h
± 691 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

If it continued at this rate for 24 hours it would release about 51.1 tonnes of methane.

Detected
16 Mar 2026 · 15:57 UTC
Satellite
EnMAP - DLR
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the N · 2.3 m/s
Coordinates
10.12021, -71.43791
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
e7671f92-b22b-4566-a395-81f89f43728c

Likely operator

PDVSA Plausible

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

Emitting site

VEN_S_029 · Production Offshore
3 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 e7671f92-b22b-4566-a395-81f89f43728c, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/e7671f92-b22b-4566-a395-81f89f43728c), accessed 4 Oct 2026.