JRC Info N.1
OIL POLLUTION IN LEBANON
By JRC oil spill team
1. Introduction
On 13 and 15 July 2006the Jieh power utility located on the Lebanese coastline was hit by Israeli bombs. Part of the storage tanks caught fire. The fuel that did not catch on fire was spilled into the Mediterranean Sea as a result of the blast. (from the website of the Lebanese Ministry of the Environment)
2. Location of the Jieh thermal power plant
The Jieh thermal power plant is located 30 Km South of Beirut and 9 km North of Saida (Sidon) (see figure 1, 2, and 3).
Figure 1: The Jieh thermal power plant (from Google Earth)
Figure 2: Location of the Jieh thermal power plant (from Google Earth)
Figure 3: Map of Lebanon (from
3. Oil pollution dispersion
In the frame of the collaboration with the University of Ljubljana (Faculty of Maritime Studies and Transportation), JRC obtained the information of the studies performed by the University of Cyprus.
The CyprusOceanographyCenter has performed an operational oil spill modeling application in the NE Levantine Basin after the oil pollution in Lebanon, using the MEDSLIK-Mediterranean oil spill model.
According to this study: “The processed satellite remote sensing images (able to detect oil slicks) andthe visual reports on oil spill appearence in various coastal areas of Lebanon, verify the results of the oil spill modelling dispersion alongthe coastalzone of Lebanon, where alittle lessthan80% of the oil remains on the Lebanese coast and a little less than 20% was evaporated (the spilled oil isa very heavy one), while 0.08% still remain in the coastal sea area of Lebanon”.
(The study can be downloaded from:
(then click at: MEDSLIK contribution to MERSEA-IP).
The University of Ljubljana will run other simulations.
4. JRC analysis of Satellite imagery
In the study of the University of Cyprus optical satellite images (MODIS) were used.
JRC is focusing its attention on Satellite SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) images.A set of relevant radar images of the area has been already identified.
A preliminary analysis of one of these scenes has been performed on a very low resolution (quick look) image (downloaded from ESA archives).
The image has been taken by ENVISAT of 21 July. As shown in figure 4, despite the very low quality of the image, some indications of possible pollution can be retrieved. Many dark areas can be identified outside the Lebanese coast. In particular, a dark linear signature (aligned South-North) seems to originate from Jieh. These dark features extend approximately up to Chekka. All the identified features can be interpreted as oil spill but the confirmation can be obtained only through the analysis of high resolution image. Moreover, the distribution of the features is in agreement with the study (observation and simulation) performed by the University of Cyprus.
JRC is in the process to acquire the full set of identified scenes in high resolution for the period before the activation of the Charter.
Figure 4 – Low resolution (QL) radar image covering the area of interest (from ESA Archive).
Relevant links:
Lebanon Ministry of the Environment:
EC press release:
Maps of Lebanon:
Other data on Jieh:
Models of dispersion:
then click at : MEDSLIK contribution to MERSEA-IP.