Logo of ALES
 

OIL SPILL CLEAN-UP ALONG LEBANON'S COASTLINE

INITIATIVE:

A number of individuals, very concerned with the oil spill issue along the Lebanese coastline, are trying to build a team of engineers, professionals, and technicians to form an advisory committee to help in the clean-up of the Lebanese coastline. The need is for:

- Environmental engineers who worked on this subject
- Engineering managers
- Ecologists
- Consultants
 

At this point, the need is for experts in oil spills; in the future, the team might need to write proposals to generate funds. Please, contact ALES Philadelphia Chapter at philadelphia@alesonline.org if you want to be part of this team and have the expertise listed above. Please distribute this information to your applicable contacts.

 

INFORMATION REGARDING THE OIL SPILL ISSUE:

On July 13 2006, more than 15,000 barrels of oil have hit the Lebanese coast after Israeli air strikes bombed a few storage tanks at the electricity plant in the village of Jieh, 30Km south of Beirut. The northern winds have taken the massive oil slick to beaches and ports a long way up the coast.

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said that the spill poses severe ecological and human threats and is already comparable to the oil tanker accident off the coast of France, with the potential to become far worse. A statement said: "In the worst-case scenario, and if all the oil contained in the bombed power plant at Jieh leaked into the Mediterranean Sea, the Lebanese oil spill could well rival the Exxon Valdex disaster of 1989".

DLR's Center for Satellite Based Crisis Information has been monitoring the oil spill. Refer to these following satellite images for more information:

- Oil spill extent between July 21 and August 10, 2006

- Comparison of oil spill extent based on radar data between July 21 and August 10, 2006

- Oil spill extent on August 3/4, 2006

The American Lebanese Engineering Society has contacted the development specialist and spokesperson for the oil spill issue at the Lebanese Ministry of Environment, Ms. Ghada Mitri, requesting more information and offering assistance. The ministry shared the following documents that hold very useful information regarding the situation, how the ministry is trying to solve the issue, what they need to solve it, how concerned people and organizations can help, etc.

- Ministerial memo and call for assistance by his Excellency minister Yacoub Sarraf

- Lebanese oil spill case details and request for assistance

- List of affected Sites visited as of August 09, 2006

- The cost of oil spill clean-up in Lebanon

- List of human resources, materials, and equipment Needed to perform clean-up

As described by local and international experts, the "oil spill off Lebanon is catastrophic". Please help as much as you can. A picture can be worth a thousand words....

   

Copyright © American Lebanese Engineering Society, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Send comments and questions to ales@alesonline.org.