Environmental Implications of a Massive Oil Spill and

File: 082696_d50036_008.txt
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move and spread through the Persian GulF

Winds in the northern Persian Gulf during the ~irst few months of the year
are predominantly from the northwest at average velocities of ten miles per
hour. The general circulation along the Kuwait and Saudi Arabian coasts is
to the south-southeast with a slight tendency for currents to accelerate
along the southern coast. Typical current velocities vary from a few tenths
of a knot in the north to just less than a knot in the south. A massive spill
originating along the coast of Kuwait would move south along the coast,
spreading in a widening band. Shoreline oiling would begin almost
immediately in Kuwait and the leading edge of the spill would reach Saudi
Arabian coastal waters within a few days to two weeks depending on
weather and initial source location. A major spill would be transported
along the Kuwait/Saudi Arabian coast for hundreds of miles.

Currents within Kuwait. Harbor are dominated by tides, reaching a velocity
of about one knot at the entrance with weaker currents further back into
the harbor. The net effect of harbor currents would be an oscillatory
movement in the floating oil that would slowly flush out of the harbor
region over a period of several weeks to a month. Prior to this time, local
winds would tend to strand a large fraction of the oil along the Kuwait
shoreline. Because of variability in the winds, it is likely that all of the
harbor shoreline would be impacted, but with more persistent winds from
the northwest, oil would tend to concentrate on the southern edge of the
harbor along the Kuwait City waterfront. The northern and western
sections of Kuwajt Harbor have extensive tidal flats whIch would probably
provide areas where large tar mats (collections of subme?ged oil and sand)
would tend to foim under conditions of heavy oiling.

Along the east coast of Kuwait and Saud; Arabia the currents flow.      -
generally to the south-southwest parallel to the shore. Oil spilled into
Kuwait waters is likely to drift down the coast under the influence of this
current system and the prevailing winds. The advance of the oil would
depend on weather conditions, however oil would typically move between
S and 15 miles a day along the coast of Kuwait, speeding up slightly as it
moved south along the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia. As the oil moved
south, variable winds would tend to distribute it into a coastal swath that
widened as it moved. For a large spill, coastal impacts would be expected
along a large fraction of the shoreline with particularly heavy deposits
associated with headlands (Ra's al Quilay'ah, Ra's al Zawr, Ra's al Khaf~i,
and so on down the coast). Oil would tend to accumulate in coastal
embayments (north of Jabail, south of Ra's al Ghar, etc.).


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