Oil Spills in the Arabian Gulf: A Case Study and Environmental Review

Abstract

The following article is a review of oil spills in the Arabian Gulf with a focus on the Kuwait Spill during the Gulf War. The article provides some background on the events leading up to the oil spill, as well as the extent and details of the spill. Impacts on air quality, terrestrial ecology, marine ecology, socioeconomic aspects, and public health are analyzed in detail to assess the extent of damage on various environmental and social components. It was found that significant impacts were incurred on the marine and terrestrial environments, with some negative effects still persisting to our present day. Heavy economic impacts were also incurred in the form of infrastructure damage and loss of productivity. The article further provides a review of various natural, mechanical, and chemical means of remediation utilized during the clean-up efforts and provides a relative comparison of these for potential usage on similar events in the future.