Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 17 Apr 2026

Methane plume detected in Iraq

On 17 Apr 2026, the EMIT - NASA satellite saw methane escaping at about 2,465 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

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

2,465 kg/h
± 825 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

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

Detected
17 Apr 2026 · 09:13 UTC
Satellite
EMIT - NASA
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the S · 3.5 m/s
Coordinates
34.99329, 43.5058
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
f4928b10-7663-4d56-93d9-8691e490ffa8

Likely operator

North Oil Company Plausible

State-owned North Oil Company operates the Kirkuk-area fields.

Emitting site

IRQ_S_083 · Pipeline
13 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 f4928b10-7663-4d56-93d9-8691e490ffa8, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/f4928b10-7663-4d56-93d9-8691e490ffa8), accessed 5 Oct 2026.