Methane Leaks
Oil & gas · 19 Feb 2023

Methane plume detected in Iraq

On 19 Feb 2023, the Sentinel-2 - ESA satellite saw methane escaping at about 13,064 kg/h from an oil & gas site.

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

13,064 kg/h
± 5,442 kg/h (UNEP uncertainty)

If it continued at this rate for 24 hours it would release about 314 tonnes of methane.

Detected
19 Feb 2023 · 07:29 UTC
Satellite
Sentinel-2 - ESA
Sector
Oil & gas
Wind
Plume drifting towards the SE · 6.7 m/s
Coordinates
30.27307, 47.7438
Open in Google Maps (satellite)
UNEP plume ID
fcf2ccc7-fb59-41ca-af22-569164813e7d

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
35 plumes detected at this site

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 →
Is this attribution wrong?

If you operate this site, or know who does, tell us. Operators get a right of reply, and corrections are reviewed within a week.

Get alerts for IRQ_S_009

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 fcf2ccc7-fb59-41ca-af22-569164813e7d, via Methane Leaks (https://www.methaneleaks.com/plume/fcf2ccc7-fb59-41ca-af22-569164813e7d), accessed 5 Oct 2026.