This is a global inventory of methane emissions from fuel exploitation (GFEI) created for the NASA Carbon Monitoring System (CMS). The emission sources represented in this dataset include fugitive emission sources from oil, gas, and coal exploitation following IPCC 2006 definitions and are estimated using bottom-up methods. The inventory emissions are based on individual country reports submitted in accordance with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). For those countries that do not report, the emissions are estimated following IPCC 2006 methods. Emissions are allocated to infrastructure locations including mines, wells, pipelines, compressor stations, storage facilities, processing plants, and refineries. The purpose of the inventory is to be used as a prior estimate of fuel exploitation emissions in inverse modeling of atmospheric methane observations. GFEI only includes fugitive methane emissions from oil, gas, and coal exploitation activities and does not include any combustion emissions as defined in IPCC 2006 category 1A. The CMS program is designed to make significant contributions in characterizing, quantifying, understanding, and predicting the evolution of global carbon sources and sinks through improved monitoring of carbon stocks and fluxes. The System uses NASA observations and modeling/analysis capabilities to establish the accuracy, quantitative uncertainties, and utility of products for supporting national and international policy, regulatory, and management activities. CMS data products are designed to inform near-term policy development and planning.