TEHRAN — A large oil slick is feared to have spread in the sea around Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub, according to environmental and energy analysts who analyzed satellite imagery.
Imagery from the European Union’s Copernicus Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3 satellites taken between May 6 and May 8 shows a gray-white layer spread over a large expanse of water west of Kharg Island.
Lion Morland, a researcher at the environmental research organization Conflict and Environment Observatory, said the shape of the layer seen in the images is consistent with oil. Its extent could be around 45 square kilometers.
Lui Goddard, co-founder of climate and energy analytics group Data Desk, expressed similar concerns. He said it could be the largest oil spill since the start of the U.S.-Israel-Iran war.
The cause of the spill or its source is not yet confirmed. Researchers said the latest satellite imagery shows no clear new signs of oil release.
About 90 percent of Iran’s total oil exports pass through Kharg Island, with most of the oil exported to China. During the war, the United States previously claimed it had struck military targets on the island.
Energy supplies in the Persian Gulf region have been widely disrupted by the ongoing conflict. Hundreds of ships have been stranded, and global supplies of crude oil have come under significant strain.
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