Oil Slick Off Iran’s Kharg Island Shrinks, Source Still Unknown

An environmental monitoring group reported Saturday that a suspected oil slick spotted off the coast of Iran’s Kharg Island may be linked to the country’s oil infrastructure, though satellite imagery now shows a “significant reduction” in its size. The slick, first detected in recent days near the island’s western shore, has drawn attention due to Kharg Island’s role as the hub for roughly 90% of Iran’s crude exports.

The Conflict and Environment Observatory, a UK-based non-governmental organization, stated that the slick’s origin and cause remain unknown and cannot be definitively determined from available images alone. Researcher Leon Moreland noted that while offshore infrastructure is a potential source, it is impossible to pinpoint a specific point of origin or attribute the spill to a definite cause at this time. He added that the slick appears visually consistent with oil, based on analysis of images from the European Copernicus program.

Size and Movement of the Slick

The observatory estimated the original slick at roughly 44 square kilometers (17 square miles). However, Orbital EOS, a company specializing in oil spill monitoring, told the New York Times that by Thursday, the slick had exceeded 20 square miles (52 square kilometers). Moreland explained that there is no clear evidence of additional active leaks around the island, though the earlier slick remains visible and is drifting southward.

Satellite images from Copernicus appear to show a substantial decrease in the slick’s area compared to images reviewed last Wednesday, according to the observatory.

Possible Contributing Factors

Media reports, including from Fox News, have suggested that Iranian oil storage facilities may be under significant strain due to the U.S. embargo on Iranian ports, which hampers the country’s ability to export crude oil. The cause of the slick, however, has not been officially confirmed.