STATUS OF OIL FIRES

File: 062096_cia_73851_60880_01.txt
Page: 01
Total Pages: 1
Subject: STATUS OF OIL FIRES

Not Finally Evaluated Intelligence







TO FACILITATE ELECTRONIC ACCESS, THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN

REFORMATTED TO ELIMINATE INFORMATION THAT DOES NOT PERTAIN

TO GULF WAR ILLNESS ISSUES OR THAT IS CLASSIFIED. A COPY OF

THIS REDACTED DOCUMENT, IN ORIGINAL FORMAT, IS AVAILABLE ON

REQUEST.







CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

WARNING: INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE.







DIST:          JANUARY 1991



COUNTRY: KUWAIT/IRAQ



SUBJECT:          STATUS OF THE AL-SHU'AYBAH

DESALINATION STATION AND OIL FIRES IN THE AL-AHMADI AREA

























THE AL-SHU'AYBAH DESALINATTON STATION







WAS FUNCTIONING NORMALLY DESPITE THE OIL SPILL.

THE STATION HAD NOT YET BEEN AFFECTED BY THE

OIL BECAUSE THE SEAWATER PROCESSED BY THE PLANT IS DRAWN FROM DEPTH.

IF OIL WAS MIXED WITH WATER DRAWN

INTO THE PLANT, CONTAMINATED WATER WOULD BE PUMPED BACK TO THE SEA

AND ONLY UNCONTAMINATED WATER WOULD BE PROCESSED. ESTIMATED PURE

WATER PRODUCTION AT THE 90 MEGAWATT STATION IS FIVE MILLION GALLONS

PER DAY.







3. KUWAITI          FIRES HAD BROKEN OUT

AT THE NORTH (TN2225) AND SOUTH (TN230184) AREAS OF THE AL-AHMADI

PORT EVENING OF 26 JANUARY.          THE IRAQIS HAD SET

AFIRE AN OIL SLICK ON THE SEA, STARTING FROM THE INDUSTRIAL ISLAND.

AS OF          26 JANUARY,          OIL SEEPAGE FROM

THE PIPELINES AT THE NORTH AND SOUTH OF AL-AHMADI PORT







4.          THE

FIRE AT AL-AHMADI SOUTH HAD SPREAD TO THE FREEWAY, AND THE FIRE AT

AL-AHMADI NORTH HAD REACHED THE BACK STORAGE AREA OF THE OIL COMPANY

IN THE WAKE OF THE FIRES, THE AL-AHMADI AREA WAS ORDERED

EVACUATED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.







1.5 (c)

73851:60880