Study shows satellite discovered methane leak at Turkmenistan oil and gas field

Study shows satellite discovered methane leak at Turkmenistan oil and gas field
Atmospheric methane levels, as observed at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii and reported by U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. / Earth System Research Laboratory.
By bne IntelliNews November 25, 2019

Montreal-based GHGSat said in a study published on November 22 that it discovered a methane leak equivalent to the fumes of a million cars deriving from unlit flaring in the Korpezhe oil and gas field in western Turkmenistan, Bloomberg reported. 

It marked the first time that a discovery of an unknown methane leak was made from space. The finding was made during a search for emissions from mud volcanoes. GHGSat notified Turkmen authorities via Canadian and European diplomatic channels about the release, shown in images captured from early 2018 through February this year. The emissions stopped in May, after the Turkmen state-run field operator was informed.  

The sequence of events demonstrated the possibility of using satellites “to enable corrective action to fight climate change,” according to the research published by the American Geophysical Union’s Geophysical Research Letters journal. It comes at a time when the oil and gas industry faces mounting pressure to reduce emissions of methane, one of the most harmful greenhouse gases.

Two more emissions were discovered in the Central Asian region, including one from a pipeline, possibly caused by a valve release, and a smaller one caused by an unlit flare.

Read in IntelliNews Pro
Get IntelliNews Pro

Related Articles

Russia for first time overtakes Turkmenistan in gas exports to China

Russia in February for the first time overtook Turkmenistan on a monthly basis to become the largest pipeline supplier of natural gas to China, according to General Administration of Customs of China ... more

Ukraine's DTEK seeks $350mn to restore energy capacity after Russian attacks

Ukraine's leading private energy company, DTEK, has sounded the alarm, indicating an urgent need for $350mn to recuperate lost capacity resulting from Russia's relentless assaults on thermal power ... more

France's spending on Russian LNG surges to over €600mn this year

France's spending on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) surged to over €600mn this year, EU data reveals, Politico reports. The increase comes as French President Emmanuel Macron becomes ... more

Follow Us On

Most Read

  1. Ukraine's birth rate plummets to 300-year low as country’s population collapses
    8 days ago
  2. EU finally boosts defence investment into arms production as Ukraine runs out of ammo
    1 month ago
  3. Fresh evidence suggests that the April 2022 Istanbul peace deal to end the war in Ukraine was stillborn
    8 days ago
  4. Don't mention the "D" word - Ukraine
    5 days ago
  5. Europe unlikely to tackle Russian LNG imports anytime soon
    2 days ago
  1. Russia could pay off its entire external debt tomorrow, in cash
    26 days ago
  2. Speculation swirls of “Men in Blue” in Crocus City Hall terrorist attack linked to FSB
    30 days ago
  3. Albanians campaign on social media to keep bus bridge created in freak accident
    1 year ago
  4. BRICS announce a blockchain-based payment system to create a common currency
    28 days ago
  5. Saudi Arabia to scale back plans for Neom city
    15 days ago

Reports

Dismiss