Small oil spills pose threat to marine life

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FILE PHOTO: An area of the mile long Ekofisk oil and gas field development complex in the middle of the North Sea at a point two hundred miles from Norway, the British Isles, and Germany, is pictured in this undated handout photo. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY REUTERS/Eon/Handout.

Muscat: A new study by the Environment Authority (EA) has raised concerns over the rising number of small-scale, unattributed oil spills that continue to pose a significant risk to marine environments.

The research, titled ‘Problem of Small-Scale Marine Oil Spills Discharged by Unattributable Vessels’, was led by Dr Omran bin Mohammed al Kamzari, Senior Specialist in Environmental Policy, Law, and Oil Pollution at EA, and published in the Pollution Study Journal.

In an interview with Muscat Daily, Kamzari stressed that while large-scale oil spills have received substantial attention, the impacts of smaller, unreported spills are equally, if not more, damaging to marine ecosystems.

“Oil pollution is one of the most serious threats to marine ecosystems. While large spills are often the focus of research and media attention, small spills, frequently of unknown origin, continue to harm coastal areas and marine life,” Kamzari explained.

The study calls for better methods to identify fugitive polluters, improve oil spill cleanup strategies, and establish stronger compensation mechanisms for the damage caused by such spills.

Kamzari underlined the urgency of addressing this issue, as the health of marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of coastal communities are at stake.

One of the primary challenges in dealing with small, unattributed oil spills is the lack of international attention, according to Kamzari. Factors such as deep-water spills, routine ship operations, and unreported incidents make it difficult to trace the origin of the pollution.

“When oil spills occur in deep waters or during routine ship operations, they are hard to detect. By the time they reach coastal areas, the source is often untraceable, complicating efforts to hold polluters accountable or claim compensation for cleanup costs,” he said.

The study highlights that oil pollution from unknown sources is one of the most severe environmental threats to marine life, with only about 8% of oil spills being reported. The majority go undetected, continuing to pose a substantial risk to marine ecosystems.

Kamzari also pointed out that small oil spills are often overlooked in media and economic discussions. “These spills do not receive the attention that larger incidents attract, and as a result, they are underreported. This lack of focus has led to continued environmental harm,” he said.

However, he acknowledged that social media has played a significant role in improving public awareness and reporting of such events.

Oman, situated along the heavily trafficked Strait of Hormuz, is particularly vulnerable to oil pollution. The strait sees daily oil tanker shipments, contributing to environmental risks, especially for Oman’s northern coasts.

Sources of oil pollution include accidental tanker spills, illegal discharge of ballast water, and leaks from offshore oil facilities, all of which threaten marine life, including coral reefs, mangroves, and fish stocks.

Kamzari explained that most small spills result from deliberate oil waste discharge by ships, especially during periods of minimal regulatory oversight.

“Many vessels dispose of oil-contaminated ballast water or clean their fuel tanks at sea to avoid the costs of proper disposal,” he said.