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Turkmenistan topped a global ranking of industrial methane leak sources in 2025. According to an analysis of satellite data conducted by UCLA’s STOP Methane Project, 15 of the world’s 25 largest methane plumes in the oil and gas sector were detected at facilities in the country, according to a report by The Guardian citing the findings. Aside from Turkmenistan, the ranking also includes sites in the United States, Pakistan, Venezuela and Iran. In the latter two countries, multiple mega-leaks were recorded at state-owned facilities.
Researchers analyzed data from the Carbon Mapper satellite system and identified 4,400 significant methane emissions in 2025, defined as leaks of at least 100 kilograms per hour. Each of the 25 largest plumes is comparable in climate impact to a coal-fired power plant, the study said. The largest leak detected in 2025 was recorded in Texas — at 5.5 tons of methane per hour, it is equivalent to the emissions of around 1 million SUVs.
In October, Turkmen authorities said they had placed leaks under special monitoring and would eliminate them within two to three days. However, the new analysis indicates that large-scale emissions in the country have continued. Researchers say the cause is aging Soviet-era infrastructure. According to the study, most leaks could be eliminated through routine maintenance, allowing companies to actually capture and sell more gas. As project director Cara Horowitz explained:
“It is really maddening. These sites are the result of poor maintenance – if you upgraded the infrastructure a little bit, did good housekeeping, you could solve a really important part of the problem.”
She also warned European buyers of Turkmen gas that Brussels is introducing strict methane emission limits tied to imported energy resources, meaning the monitoring results should be viewed as a signal of potential economic risk.
“It’s clear that Turkmenistan is trying to access the European market,” Horowitz said. “European potential buyers should pay attention to our results and think of this as a ‘buyer beware’ moment.”
Methane emissions account for about 25% of current global warming, and since 2007 its concentration in the atmosphere has accelerated sharply. Scientists describe this as an alarming trend that could irreversibly alter the climate. At the same time, reducing methane emissions has a rapid effect, as methane leaves the atmosphere much faster than carbon dioxide does. Experts have described the scale of Turkmenistan’s leaks as “staggering” for several years, and the new analysis confirms that the situation has not fundamentally changed.
The Insider previously reported on how the oil lobby, along with the U.S.withdrawal from climate agreements, have undermined international efforts to combat global climate change.