Oil Spill Detection and Monitoring at Karachi’s Coast Using Satellite Images By Said Rahman, Assistant Manager SUPARCO,

1. Oil Spill Detection and Monitoring at Karachi’s Coast Using Satellite Images By Said Rahman, Assistant Manager SUPARCO, Pakistan

2. Pakistan has coastal belt of more than 900Km long extending from Run of Kutch to Gawadar. • Pakistan has three sea ports, two are in Karachi and the third in Gowadar in Balochistan. • Maximum trade of Pakistan takes place through Karachi sea ports. Pakistan also provides transit trade facility to Afghanistan through these ports • Pakistan does not produce enough oil for its needs and imports from the gulf countries for its needs..

3. Accident of Oil Spill at Karachi Coast • In an unfortunate accident on August 14, 2003, the Greek registered MT Tasman spirit oil tanker carrying 67,000 tons of crude oil released about 30,000 tons into the vast area near the Coast of Karachi. • The oil silk covered the Manora channel and Clifton Beach. • SUPARCO monitored the oil spill through Radarsat images. • Levels of major air pollutants such as hydrocarbons (HCs),methane non-methane were also measured.

4. Greek Registered MT Tasman spirit oil tanker

5. The overcast monsoon sky during August , 03 rendered visual Techniques and optical satellite images unsuitable for mapping the oil slick area. • Images of Radarsat equipped with SAR system were analyzed for monitoring/estimation of oil spill. Satellite Remote sensing Data is very helpful in Oil Spill Monitoring.

6. Different Types of sensors for Oil Spill Monitoring. • Optical techniques are the most common means of remote sensing. Cameras, both still and video are common because of their low price. • In recent years, visual or camera observation has been enhanced by the use of GPS (Global Positioning Systems). Direct annotation of video images with GPS information is possible and provides useful documentation

7. RADAR • Capillary waves on the ocean reflect radar energy, producing a "bright" image known as sea clutter. • Since oil on the sea surface dampens some of these capillary waves, the presence of an oil slick can be detected as a "dark" sea or one with an absence of this sea clutter. • But oil slicks are not the only phenomena that are detected in this way. There are many interferences or false targets, including fresh water slicks, wind slicks (calms), wave shadows behind land or structures etc

8. The two basic types of radar that can be used to detect oil spills and for environmental remote sensing in general are Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Side-Looking Airborne Radar (SLAR). • Synthetic aperture radar uses the forward motion of the aircraft/satellite to synthesize a very long antenna, thereby achieving very good spatial resolution, which is independent of range, at the expense of sophisticated electronic processing. • While inherently more expensive, the SAR has greater range and resolution than the SLAR.

9. 11, Oct -2001 Courtesy RADARSAT

10. 21Aug,2003 Courtesy RADARSAT

11. 12 Dec,2003 Courtesy RADARSAT

13. Courtesy RADARSAT

14. Courtesy RADARSAT

15. Point of Oil Spill China creek Area Affected by Oil spill Courtesy ESA

16. Point of Oil Spill Envisat 05 April, 2004

17. The clean-up drive - but beach clearing in populated areas requires hard labour

18. The clean-up drive - but beach clearing in populated areas requires hard labour

19. FISH & TURTLE WERE FOUND DEAD AT THE BEACH

20. DEAD FISH WERE FOUND AT THE BEACH

21. Air pollution • The air was polluted immediately after the major spill on the 13- 23 August, 2003 due the evaporated component of the crude oil. • According to the chemical properties of the crude oil, approximately 11000 tones of volatile organic compounds were entered the air after the spillsage. • The pungent odour was reported to be perceptible at a distance of one km from the beach area.

22. It is estimated that the impacted area covered about 37 Sq. km. Extensive contamination of the beach was obvious. • The oil content of seawater at the open sea was 1.35 mg/litre and varied from 3.95 mg/litre in the Fish Harbor Channel, to 5.15 mg/litre at the point opposite Lighthouse and 10.11 mg/litre at a point near Tasman Spirit. • The bottom sediment at the open sea was found on August 19 to contain 51.6 mg/kg and varied from 195 mg/kg in the Fish Harbor Channel, to 382 mg/litre at the point opposite Lighthouse and 968 mg/litre at the point near Tasman Spirit.

23. The fauna observed on August 27, 2003 on the surface at Clifton Beach near Boat Basin Police Station did not have the same abundance of polychaete worms as has been observed in other occasions before the oil spill.

24. On August 14, 500 to 600 kg of dead fish were found on Clifton Beach. The gills of the fishes and other hard parts of the body such as fin spines were coated with a thick layer of oil. • On August 19, out the dead fish collected, 1,000 were found at the Village Restaurant sampling station which was the highly impacted area. • At the Kinara Restaurant sampling station fewer deaths were recorded: 20 dead fish mostly mullet and spotted scats.

25. Analysis of phytoplankton samples from Manora Channel, including the location at ship wreck has shown that due to the oil film on the surface water, light penetration was negligible as a result photosynthetic activity was reduced substantially. • Observations showed that the phytoplankton groups usually inhabiting this area during the July-September or monsoon period were either absent or were rarely present.

26. It has been found that the oil slick moved from Manora channel in the NEE direction towards Clifton Beach and the spilled oil was concentrated from Shireen Jinnah colony to Village restaurant. • Mangrove area in China Creek were exposed to the crude oil spill. The daily survey conducted by the foresters showed that this distribution pattern remained essentially the same until September 2, 2003.

27. To further access the situation SUPARCO acquired the Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) data of ENVISAT of April 05, 2004 of the affected area. • After necessary processing the data shows that there are no visual effects of the oil spill in the area. This is due to natural dispersion and the remediation measures taken by the concerned authorities. Thus there seems to be no threat to life in the vicinity

28. It is required to measure the levels of major air pollutants such as hydrocarbon (methane and non-methane), Sulphur Dioxide, Nitrogen Oxide, Carbon Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide near the affected areas, similarly water analysis near the affected area seems mandatory necessary for the estimation of the levels of contamination in the area.

29. Remotely sensed data are used for detecting oil spill to support the contingency plan at a specific location in the event oil spill monitoring. The main constrain in the use of satellite timely availability of data to the developing countries. • Accidental marine oil spill is an environmental emergency which have a serious impact on the population, on its economic activities as well as on to the ecosystem. Governments should undertake response measures and to exercise direct control over the operations. • Regardless of the scale of the oil pollution, response to a marine pollution emergency can only be successful if the response organization exists, if the strategy of response has been agreed upon in advance and if the trained personnel, tools and equipment are available to operationally execute such a strategy.

30. The End of Presentation Thanks