OGCI Paper: Results of OGCI Satellite Monitoring Campaign in Iraq

The Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) launched a Satellite Monitoring Campaign in 2021 to take practical action to help reduce methane emissions from oil and gas operations, demonstrate the capability of satellite technology to detect and quantify methane in Iraq and provide information to local operations to help them reduce emissions.

For this program, GHGSat performed over 175 high-resolution observations over six selected sites during a nine-month period, using its own satellites and public satellite data. Sites were selected on the likelihood of having facilities with observable methane emissions based on existing evidence of methane plumes, flaring volumes, age of infrastructure, size of the field and production volumes.

The Campaign demonstrated that there are challenges and opportunities associated with using satellite data and engaging with local operators to support mitigation of methane emissions.