On November 4-5, 2026, a two-day practical training dedicated to the interpretation and practical application of satellite data for the detection and analysis of methane emissions in the oil and gas sector concluded in Ashgabat.
The event was jointly organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) through its International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) in partnership with Carbon Limits, with the support of the project ‘European Union for a Green Turkmenistan: Policy Dialogue and Climate Action 2024-2029,’ co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Foreign Office and implemented by GIZ.
The main outcome of the training was the strengthening of the national capacity of specialists in the field of methane emission monitoring. More than 35 technical specialists from key state agencies-including the State Concerns “Turkmengas” and “Turkmennebit,” the Research Institute of Natural Gas, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Ministry of Energy, and the National Space Agency- gained practical skills in working with advanced digital tools.
Participants mastered working with the MARS system (UNEP/IMEO): rapid response methodology and interpretation of ‘methane plumes’ using high-resolution satellite imagery;
incident prioritization: algorithms for identifying and ranking the largest leaks for their prompt elimination; comprehensive analysis: comparison of satellite data with ground-based measurements for the most accurate estimation of emission volumes at oil and gas infrastructure facilities.
The mastery of these technologies will enable Turkmen specialists to respond faster to leaks, reduce losses of valuable raw materials, and enhance the environmental safety of production.
“Mastering the MARS system and algorithms for working with high-resolution satellite imagery allows us to see the picture in real time. This directly reduces the time from leak detection to its elimination at the facilities,” noted one of the training participants, a specialist from the State Concern “Turkmengas”.
The ongoing capacity-building work addresses Turkmenistan’s national priorities in environmental monitoring and makes a practical contribution to achieving climate goals. This event is implemented in accordance with the Roadmap for 2025-2026 on strengthening Turkmenistan’s international cooperation aimed at achieving the goals and targets envisaged in the Global Methane Pledge Initiative, which contributes to expanding partnerships and deepening engagement in this area.
