Iran Running Out of Storage? Satellite Images Show Possible Oil Dumping Into Sea

Satellite imagery has revealed a massive suspected oil slick spreading near Kharg Island , Iran's main oil export terminal, what experts say could be evidence that Tehran's oil infrastructure is buckling under mounting U.S. pressure . The likely spill, appearing in images as a grey-and-white slick, covered waters to the west of the 8-kilometre-long island , captured by Europe's Copernicus Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, and Sentinel-3 satellites between May 6 and May 8, 2026.

The slick covered roughly 45 square kilometres west of the island, according to analysts cited by Reuters. Claims have surfaced suggesting oil was pumped directly into the sea because storage space had run out due to the blockade, with newer images showing the oil slick moving southward.

Kharg Island handles 90 percent of Iran's crude oil exports, making it the nerve centre of the country's energy economy. Iran exported 1.84 million barrels per day (bpd) in March 2026 and 1.71 million bpd in April, according to data firm Kpler . However, the US naval blockade , in place since April 13 , means most of those exports are now forced into storage.

As of April 20 , storage tanks at Kharg were approximately 74 percent full , having absorbed around 3 million extra barrels of oil. Oil companies typically avoid exceeding 80 percent capacity for safety and operational reasons. Bloomberg , citing Kpler analysis, warned Iran could exhaust crude storage in 12 to 22 days if the blockade persists.

Iran is also seeking to formalise control of the Strait of Hormuz through a newly formed body called the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) , which would vet vessels and collect tolls, a geopolitical move reflecting Tehran's deepening desperation. Iran has denied the spill, calling reports "psychological warfare" and blaming waste discharge from a European tanker. The world watches a critical environmental and geopolitical crisis unfold in real time.