Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 2 Jan 2026

Methane plume detected in Algeria

On 2 Jan 2026, the Sentinel-2 - ESA satellite saw methane escaping at about 2,465 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

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

2,465 kg/h
± 975 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

If it continued at this rate for 24 hours it would release about 59.2 tonnes of methane.

Detected
2 Jan 2026 · 10:13 UTC
Satellite
Sentinel-2 - ESA
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the NW · 5.0 m/s
Coordinates
28.60669, 7.51411
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
f3138b8a-1b42-4422-982c-a30aa879e434

Likely operator

Sonatrach Plausible

State company Sonatrach operates or co-operates nearly all Algerian fields and pipelines.

Emitting site

DZA_S_031 · Flare
41 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 f3138b8a-1b42-4422-982c-a30aa879e434, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/f3138b8a-1b42-4422-982c-a30aa879e434), accessed 5 Oct 2026.