A practical training session on the use of satellite data to detect and analyse methane emissions in the oil and gas sector was held in Ashgabat on 4–5 November. According to the Turkmenportal, more than 35 technical specialists from Turkmenistan’s government agencies and relevant organisations took part in the event.

The training was organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), through the International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO), in cooperation with Carbon Limits. The event was supported by the project “European Union for Green Development in Turkmenistan: Policy Dialogue and Climate Action for 2024–2029”, co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Foreign Office and implemented by GIZ.

Participants included representatives of the state concerns Türkmengaz and Türkmennebit, the Natural Gas Research Institute, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Ministry of Energy and the National Space Agency.

The programme covered the use of the UNEP/IMEO Methane Alert and Response System (MARS), the interpretation of high-resolution satellite imagery, the detection and prioritisation of major methane leaks, and the comparison of satellite data with ground-based measurements to estimate emission volumes.

According to a specialist from the state concern Türkmengaz, the skills acquired will help identify leaks more quickly and reduce the time between their detection and repair.

The training was conducted within the framework of the 2025–2026 Roadmap for strengthening the international cooperation of Turkmenistan within the framework of the «Global Methane Pledge» Initiative.