UN Reports Over 1 Million Barrels of Oil Extracted from Decaying Yemeni Tanker
A decaying Yemeni oil tanker, the FSO Safer, has been a ticking time bomb in the Red Sea for years. The vessel, which has been abandoned off the coast of Yemen since 2015, has posed a significant threat to the environment and the livelihoods of millions of people in the region. However, recent reports from the United Nations (UN) indicate that over 1 million barrels of oil have been successfully extracted from the tanker, potentially averting a major environmental disaster.
The FSO Safer was once used as a floating storage and offloading facility for Yemen’s oil exports. However, due to the ongoing conflict in the country, it has been left unattended and neglected for years. The vessel’s deteriorating condition, coupled with its massive cargo of approximately 1.1 million barrels of crude oil, raised concerns about a potential oil spill that could devastate marine life and coastal communities.
Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the UN has been working tirelessly to address this looming environmental catastrophe. In July 2020, a team of international experts was finally granted access to the tanker to assess its condition and explore possible solutions. They found that the vessel’s infrastructure was severely compromised, with rusted pipelines and leaking tanks.
After months of negotiations with the Houthi rebels who control the area where the tanker is located, the UN managed to secure permission to extract the oil from the FSO Safer. This operation began in late March 2021 and involved a team of international experts working alongside local Yemeni workers.
The extraction process was complex and challenging due to the tanker’s deteriorating condition. Specialized equipment had to be brought in to pump out the oil while minimizing the risk of leaks. The operation was carried out with utmost caution to prevent any further damage to the environment.
The successful extraction of over 1 million barrels of oil from the FSO Safer is a significant milestone in averting a potential environmental disaster. The UN estimates that this amount of oil could have caused an oil spill four times larger than the infamous Exxon Valdez disaster in 1989, which devastated Alaska’s coastline.
While the extraction of the oil is a major achievement, the threat is not entirely eliminated. The FSO Safer still contains approximately 1.1 million barrels of oil, and the vessel itself remains in a precarious state. The UN and international partners continue to work towards finding a long-term solution for the tanker, including its removal or securing it to prevent any further leakage.
The situation surrounding the FSO Safer highlights the urgent need for international cooperation and swift action to address environmental risks. It also underscores the devastating consequences that conflicts can have on the environment and the importance of finding peaceful resolutions to prevent such disasters.
The successful extraction of over 1 million barrels of oil from the decaying Yemeni tanker is undoubtedly a significant step forward. However, the work is far from over. The UN and its partners must continue their efforts to ensure the safe removal or containment of the remaining oil and find a lasting solution for the FSO Safer. Only then can we truly breathe a sigh of relief and protect the fragile ecosystems and communities that depend on the Red Sea’s waters.
