Turkmenistan Plugs Methane Super-Leaks

Turkmenistan has begun fixing massive methane leaks from its aging oil and gas facilities, according to the latest UN data. The UN Methane Alert and Response System (Mars) program manager, Meghan Demeter, hailed this as a 'breakthrough in terms of having real documented mitigation action.'

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, trapping 80 times more heat than carbon dioxide and responsible for a quarter of current global heating. Stopping these leaks is considered a fast and cost-effective 'emergency brake' for climate change, as methane breaks down in the atmosphere far quicker than CO2.

The Scale of the Problem

Turkmenistan had three of the six worst methane leaks detected globally by Mars in the last six months. It also accounted for nine of the top 50 super-emitter events worldwide. A single super-emitter leak, releasing tonnes of methane per hour, can heat the planet more than a million SUVs or an entire coal-fired power station.

In 2023, The Guardian revealed that Turkmenistan was the worst country for these mega-leaks. Subsequent reporting showed methane emissions from just two of the nation's main fossil fuel fields caused more global heating in 2022 than the UK's entire carbon output, a situation experts called 'mind-boggling.'

Global Response to Alerts

The UN's Mars system sent 192 methane plume alerts to Turkmenistan in the past year. The country responded to about 20% of these alerts with on-the-ground information or repair plans. This engagement followed scrutiny from international media and institutions, which sources in the capital, Ashgabat, said was a 'critical step' for the secretive government.

Other national responses to Mars alerts vary significantly. The table below shows a comparison based on the source data.

Mexico responded to all its alerts but has not yet completed a fix. The worst single leak detected was in Mexico's offshore industry, spewing 37 tonnes of methane per hour.

Progress and Ongoing Efforts

So far, Turkmenistan has stopped eight leaks by repairing corroded pipes, faulty wells, and failing flares. The first repair occurred in November 2024 on a faulty well, with the most recent on a corroded pipeline in March of this year. Demeter emphasized that while eight cases are an 'incredible first step,' many more sources in the country need addressing. The UN's stats show the country's significant role in global methane emissions.

Kazakhstan, another former Soviet republic with old infrastructure, has also stopped eight leaks. Globally, Mars alerts have led to 43 leaks being sealed. Some fixes were simple, while others, like a recently stemmed 40-year-old leak in Algeria from a faulty flare, required more planning and funding. The injuries to the climate from such persistent leaks are substantial.

The Path Forward

Dan Grossman, vice-president at the Environmental Defense Fund, stated that stemming these emissions is 'the quickest and most cost-effective method to reduce climate pollution available today.' He argued that alerts only matter if they lead to action, urging governments and industry to do better.

The Mars system uses AI to analyze data from over a dozen satellites, with potential leaks verified by analysts before notification. A response is recorded if a government or company reports ground information and an intent to fix. A leak is only logged as a success after Mars monitoring confirms emissions have ended.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for all countries to respond to 80% of alerts. Demeter noted that Mars is scaling up support, including knowledge building and technical aid, and is fielding many requests for direct mitigation funding. The work in Turkmenistan proves the pipeline from satellite data to action can work quickly, she said, but it is not yet a breakthrough in the overall magnitude of emissions.