Full Breakdown
Kharg Island Jetties Remain Empty as Oil Slick Raises Environmental and Export Concerns
5/13/2026, 9:41:17 PM
Empty Jetties Signal Export Strain
Satellite images from the EU’s Sentinel system show Iran’s Kharg Island jetties vacant for a fourth consecutive observation period, the longest gap since the war began. Vortexa analyst Claire Jungman notes that normal tanker mobility is insufficient to sustain exports under the current U.S. blockade.
Oil Slick Detected Near Kharg Island
Between May 6-8, Sentinel-1, 2 and 3 captured a grey-white slick west of the eight-kilometre island. Reported sizes vary: Reuters cites ~45 km², Caspian Post mentions 45 000 km², the UN Institute estimates ~65 km², and Windward AI reports a secondary slick of 12-20 km².
Background and Context
Kharg Island handles roughly 90 % of Iran’s crude exports. Since the U.S. and Israel escalated hostilities 70 days ago, the Strait of Hormuz has been closed, U.S. forces block Iranian ports, and hundreds of tankers remain stranded, tightening regional oil flows.
Key Figures and Groups
- Shina Ansari, Vice-President, Iran’s Environmental Protection Organization
- Claire Jungman, Director, Maritime Risk & Intelligence, Vortexa
- Louis Goddard, Co-founder, Data Desk
- Prof. Hidenori Watanave, University of Tokyo labs
- Dr. Kaveh Madani, United Nations official
- Jafar Pourkabgani, Bushehr-province lawmaker
- Windward AI, maritime-intelligence firm
- Iran Oil Terminals Company
Data & Statistics
- Kpler estimates 11 million barrels of empty tanker capacity in the Persian Gulf (?7 days at 1.5 million bpd) and 13 million barrels in the Gulf of Oman, both inside the blockade.
- A separate NYT report noted a 3 000-barrel leak, later attributed by Iranian officials to non-Iranian ballast-water discharge.
- The primary slick’s area is reported between 45 km² and 65 km²; the secondary slick spans 12-20 km².
Official Statements & Responses
Iran’s Vice-President Ansari asserts the spill stems from a non-Iranian tanker dumping contaminated ballast water, with no pipeline or facility leaks. The Oil Terminals Company’s inspections corroborate the absence of leaks. Vortexa’s Jungman emphasizes limited fresh Iran-linked arrivals due to the blockade. UN official Madani warns that a growing slick could signal aging infrastructure failure. Windward AI describes the larger slick as likely crude, possibly from a pipeline issue or failed ship-to-ship transfer.
Criticism & Opposition
Prof. Watanave highlights the possibility of an undersea pipeline rupture linking Kharg to the Abuzar field, noting the pipeline’s poor maintenance. Analysts caution that the slick’s source cannot be confirmed from optical imagery alone. Pourkabgani blames European tankers, labeling the claim of Iranian discharge a “psychological operation.” Some observers suggest deliberate discharge due to storage constraints, though evidence is lacking.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Size estimates for the primary slick diverge sharply (45 km² vs. 45 000 km²). Satellite coverage is intermittent, preventing continuous monitoring. No definitive evidence links the slick to Iranian infrastructure, a foreign tanker, or a pipeline rupture. Verification would require radar data, vessel-movement logs, and wind-current back-tracking.
Verbatim Quotes
- “At a high level, we are not seeing enough normal tanker availability/mobility to suggest Iranian exports can continue running as usual under the current blockade dynamics,” — Claire Jungman, Vortexa
- “Our monitoring results show that this spill was caused by the discharge of ballast water contaminated with substances from a non-Iranian tanker, and no oil leaks have been reported from (Iran’s) pipelines or oil facilities,” — Shina Ansari, Vice-President, Iran
- “If this slick gets bigger, we should be seriously worried about there being a leakage of aging infrastructure,” — Dr. Kaveh Madani, United Nations
- “It is believed to be crude rather than bunker fuel and unlikely to have come from a ship, possibly originating from pipeline issues or a failed ship-to-ship transfer,” — Windward AI spokesperson
- “The spatial pattern of the anomaly, a broad, drifting slick to the west and south-west of the island, appeared consistent with material carried by wind and current after a single release event, rather than a continuing leak from a fixed point on the seabed or shoreline.” — Hidenori Watanave, University of Tokyo
What’s Next
TelePIX forecasts the slick’s drift toward the southeast, potentially reaching Qatar’s EEZ in four days and the UAE coast in two weeks. Ongoing monitoring by UN officials, maritime analysts, and satellite providers will seek to verify the source and assess impacts on fisheries, desalination plants, and regional oil logistics.
