Global Methane Super-Emitters Highlight Oil and Gas Risks

Recent research using satellite-based monitoring has identified a small cluster of oil and gas sites responsible for some of the most intense methane emissions globally. Turkmenistan leads the list, with a significant share of the worst “super-emitter” locations recorded in 2025. The findings underline the urgent need to address concentrated emission sources that disproportionately drive climate change.

Turkmenistan emerges as major hotspot

The analysis shows that a majority of the top methane-emitting oil and gas sites are located in Turkmenistan. Out of the 25 highest-emitting locations globally, around 15 are concentrated in the country. Other prominent sites were identified in Iran and Venezuela, along with regions such as Texas in the United States and Sindh in Pakistan. In total, over 4,400 methane plumes were detected across nearly 2,500 oil and gas facilities worldwide, indicating the scale of the issue.

High-intensity emissions and their causes

The most severe emission sites recorded hourly methane releases ranging from 3.7 to 10.5 metric tonnes. These “super-emitter” events are often linked to equipment leaks, flaring inefficiencies and poor infrastructure maintenance. Experts emphasise that many of these emissions are avoidable through improved monitoring and timely repairs, making mitigation both technically feasible and cost-effective.

Why methane matters for climate change

Methane is a highly potent greenhouse gas with a much stronger short-term warming effect than carbon dioxide. Although it remains in the atmosphere for about 12 years, it traps significantly more heat—up to 28 times more over a century and around 86 times more over 20 years. It is estimated to contribute nearly 30 per cent of global warming since the Industrial Revolution. A single large leak of about 5 tonnes per hour can have a warming impact comparable to a major coal power plant or emissions from roughly one million vehicles.

Important Facts for Exams

• Methane has a shorter atmospheric life than CO₂ but far higher heat-trapping capacity.
• Oil and gas operations are a leading source of methane emissions globally.
• Satellite tools help identify “super-emitter” methane plumes in real time.
• Cutting methane emissions is one of the fastest ways to slow global warming.

India context: landfill emissions as key source

Beyond oil and gas, methane is also released from landfills, agriculture and wastewater systems. In India, landfill sites such as Ghazipur in Delhi have been identified as major methane sources due to decomposition of organic waste in oxygen-free conditions. Past data recorded extreme emission events exceeding 400 tonnes per hour at the site. This highlights the need for improved waste management and methane capture systems to reduce environmental impact.