Unprecedented Methane Leak in Kazakhstan: A Climate Crisis Catastrophe

The small Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan, located between Europe and Asia, has recently become the epicenter of a climate crisis catastrophe. A methane leak of unprecedented proportions took place at a remote well in the Mangistau region, southwestern Kazakhstan, last year, releasing an estimated 127,000 tonnes of methane into the atmosphere. This event, which began on June 9, 2023, and continued until the end of the year, has been described as one of the worst methane leaks ever recorded.

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, with a global warming potential 28 times greater than carbon dioxide over a 100-year time frame. The environmental impact of such a leak is significant, comparable to that of driving over 717,000 petrol cars for a year. The magnitude and duration of the leak are unusual, and experts are expressing concern over the potential consequences for the climate and the environment.

The leak was first detected by satellite images, which showed high concentrations of methane on 115 separate occasions between June and December. According to the analysis by the French geoanalytics firm Kayrros, which was later verified by the Netherlands Institute for Space Research and the Polytechnic University of Valencia, the leak could make it the second-worst man-made methane leak ever recorded.

The methane leak began when a blowout occurred during drilling at an exploration well in the Mangistau region. The fire that followed raged continuously for over six months, only being brought under control on December 25, 2023. Local authorities have reported that work is currently being carried out to seal the well with cement.

Natural gas is primarily made of methane, a gas that is transparent to the human eye. However, when sunlight passes through a cloud of methane, it creates a unique fingerprint that some satellites are able to track. This particular methane leak was first investigated by the French geoanalytics firm Kayrros. Their analysis has now been verified by the Netherlands Institute for Space Research and the Polytechnic University of Valencia.

Looking at the satellite data, scientists found high concentrations of methane were visible on 115 separate occasions between June and December. Based on those readings, they concluded that 127,000 tonnes of methane escaped from this single well. This could make it the second-worst man-made methane leak ever recorded.

The environmental consequences of such a leak are significant. Methane is responsible for about 30% of the rise in global temperatures since the Industrial Revolution. Cutting methane gas emissions is crucial for the climate fight. Satellites map huge methane plumes from oil and gas.

While satellite readings can be affected by external factors such as cloud cover, scientists are completely sure that vast amounts of methane escaped from this individual well. They detected methane plumes from five different methane-sensitive satellite instruments. Each of these instruments measures methane in a particular way, but they obtained very consistent measurements from all of them.

In a statement, the Department of Ecology in the Mangistau region confirmed that the concentration of methane in the air exceeded legal limits on 10 separate occasions between June 9 and September 21. It also said that, in the hours that followed the initial blowout, methane levels in the air were 50 times higher than allowed.

However, the Kazakhstani company that owns the well, Buzachi Neft, denies suggestions that vast amounts of methane were leaked. The company says its well only contained a negligible amount of gas, and that any methane leaked would have burnt as it came out of the borehole. It also believes only water vapor was leaked into the atmosphere, forming large white plumes that were visible from space.

External research commissioned by Buzachi Neft, which the BBC has not been given access to, is alleged to cast doubt on Kayrros’ findings. According to the company, it suggests satellites could have mistaken other gases in the atmosphere – like water vapor – for methane, and that scientists did not account for methane already in the air before the blowout happened.

But the teams involved in verifying Kayrros’ initial probe into the leak deny this. They have tested the potential effect of water vapor or smoke, and they did not find any signal of those interacting with their measurements. They also only looked for “single methane plumes” and their methods would not have been affected by methane already in the atmosphere before the accident.

An official probe into the causes of the accident, led by Atyrau’s Industrial Safety Committee, found that Buzachi Neft failed to appropriately supervise the drilling of the well. It also blamed Zaman Energo, a subcontractor, for numerous failures in the drilling process. Zaman Energo declined to comment on this story.

In a statement, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy told the BBC that tackling the leak was a “complex technical operation” and that “there is no universal solution to eliminate similar accidents.” However, it is not the first time major methane leaks have been detected in Central Asia. Like neighboring Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan has registered dozens of “super-emitter” events – a phrase used by scientists to describe incidents where large amounts of methane are released into the atmosphere.

But the event observed in the Mangistau region stands out. “It is the largest methane leak from ‘normal’ human activities that we have ever detected,” said Luis Guanter from the Polytechnic University of Valencia. Climate experts at Climate Action Tracker say that, with a projected increase in natural gas production, Kazakhstan faces risks of further methane leakages from gas pipelines.

At last year’s COP28 climate summit, Kazakhstan joined the Global Methane Pledge – a voluntary agreement by more than 150 countries to slash their methane emissions by 30 percent by 2030. Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy has stated that the country is committed to reducing methane emissions and improving its environmental performance.

In conclusion, the methane leak in Kazakhstan is a significant climate crisis catastrophe. The release of 127,000 tonnes of methane into the atmosphere is a potent greenhouse gas, with a global warming potential 28 times greater than carbon dioxide over a 100-year time frame. The environmental consequences of such a leak are significant, and it is crucial that steps are taken to prevent similar accidents in the future. The Kazakhstani government, along with the international community, must take action to reduce methane emissions and improve environmental performance. The future of our planet depends on it.