- hot-spots
- oil
- Russian Federation
- The Norilsk oil spill, Russia
Problems
The Norilsk oil spill occurred on May 29, 2020, when a fuel storage tank at Norilsk-Taimyr Energy's Thermal Power Plant No. 3 (owned by Nornickel) failed. Investigators believe the tank near Norilsk sank because of melting permafrost, weakening its supports. The spill flooded local rivers with up to 17,500 tonnes of diesel oil. The oil also leaked into the Ambarnaya River, which flows directly into the Arctic Ocean. Norilsk Nickel initially attempted to cover up the diesel fuel leak, but the extent of the spill was quickly visible via satellite images, prompting nearby rivers to change color. WWF-Russia immediately helped activate emergency services at the federal level and monitored the evolution of the spill. The Russian government declared a state of federal emergency and deployed extensive clean-up teams and machinery to limit the further spread of the spill.
Consequences of the oil spill for the Ambarna River
The oil spill is expected to cause significant damage to the Arctic environment and ecosystem. The Ambarnaya River, the worst affected by the fall, flows into the Arctic region. Oil spills can endanger public health, imperil drinking water, devastate natural resources, and disrupt the economy. Oil can also destroy the insulating ability of fur-bearing mammals like sea otters and the water-repelling capabilities of a bird's feathers. Many birds and animals also swallow oil and are poisoned when trying to clean themselves or eating oiled prey.
Gallery
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Timelines
2022
Land remediation at the Ambarnaya River was completed. It took two summers for biologists to restore the condition of the land affected by the accidental fuel spill. Deputies and public representatives took a helicopter ride over the site to witness the scale of work that went into the project.
2021
March 10
Norilsk Nickel pays a record $2 billion fine for the environmental damage caused by the spill.
January 15
A scientific study using satellite data monitors the region's snow, ice, water, vegetation, and wetland and explores the possible causes of the tank collapse.
2020
June 09
Drifting ice breaks the booms, and the spill reaches Lake Pyasino, threatening the Pyasina River that flows into the Arctic Ocean.
June 04
Russian state television reports that the spill has been contained using booms on the Ambarnaya River.
June 03
President Vladimir Putin declared a state of emergency and ordered an investigation of the spill.
May 29
A fuel storage tank at Norilsk-Taimyr Energy’s Thermal Power Plant No. 3 collapses and leaks up to 17,500 tonnes of diesel oil into local rivers and lakes.