The use of satellites to detect oil slicks at sea

Abstract Oil pollution from ships (and offshore installations) poses a threat to the marine environment in two ways: • • the loss of crude oil due to accidents which can range in size from a few tens of tonnes to some hundreds of thousands of tonnes; and • • the deliberate illegal discharge of oil, which can vary from a few litres to a few tonnes. The effects of major spills have been well studied and the acute effects of the oil on the environment are fairly well understood. Illegal discharges pose a chronic threat and should be considered along with the other (greater) source of oil pollution which is land based, entering the marine environment via rivers. This paper will concentrate on illegal discharges from ships and offshore installations and how we in the UK consider satellites might be of value in detecting and deterring illegal discharges.