On June 4th, 20,000 tons of diesel fuel spilled into the Russian Arctic after a fuel reservoir collapsed at a power plant near the city of Norilsk. It is considered Russia’s second largest oil spill in modern history. The site of the spill is the Ambarnaya River. The site of the spill, the Ambarnaya River, has turned into a deep red pool of deadly oil.  Since then, Russian President Vladimir Putin has instituted a state of emergency for the region around Norilsk, and investigations into the power plant are beginning. 

In terms of economics, it is vital that Russia acts with speed in order to clean up the oil, as they are the world’s third largest oil producer. Environmentally, though, the disaster is even worse. This oil spill has the potential to wipe out entire species in the region, literally poisoning and suffocating the plants and animals that rely on the Ambarnaya. 

How it happened  

There was a slight delay between the actual spill and reporting of the incident to the public, so the investigation process is playing catch-up. As investigations are ongoing, it is not entirely clear how such a massive disaster could have happened. The power plant claims that the fuel reservoir possibly collapsed due to thawing of permafrost below it. This could be a result of the larger issue of global warming and over-construction on unstable permafrost. 

Norilsk Nickel, the company that owns the power plant under investigation, is a huge economic force in Russia as they lead the world in nickel and palladium production. This has not stopped the Russian government from taking the power plant director, Vyacheslav Starostin, into custody. It is pursuing a criminal case of pollution and alleged negligence against the company.

What is being done

Putin began the work to remedy the spill by declaring a state of emergency over the region, but he expects the company to pay for the costs of damages. In collaboration with Norilsk Nickel, the Russian government’s state of emergency allows for more clean up personnel to be dispatched to the area. According to BBC, Oleg Mitvol, former deputy head of Russia's environmental watchdog Rosprirodnadzor, said there had "never been such an accident in the Arctic zone". Mitvol said the clean up could potentially cost 100bn roubles (£1.2bn; $1.5bn) and take between five and 10 years

Cleanup efforts have been difficult because of the remote location of the plant. The crews are unable to use barges due to the shallow water, and there are no roads leading to Norilsk. Sergey Dyachenko, chief operating officer of Norilsk Nickel, told reporters on June 4 that the company plans “to transport contaminated oil to temporary sites for remediation.”

To prevent the oil from spreading to other areas, containment booms have been placed on the Ambarnaya River. In response, Greenpeace stated on its website that it “will help collect only a minor part of the pollution, and therefore it would be safe to say that nearly all of the diesel fuel will remain in the environment.”

The United States has also offered its help. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted on June 6, "Saddened to hear about the fuel spill in Norilsk, Russia." He added that despite their disagreements, “the United States stands ready to assist Russia to mitigate this environmental disaster and offer our technical expertise.” Although the U.S. State Department and White House have not specified the ways they plan to help, efforts are in progress. 

The future 

It is not known how long the process to clean up the oil will take, or if all of the oil can even be cleaned up. Until then, it is important to note how environmental disasters in the Arctic like this are a result of the other dangerous environmental practices in place. The soil, plants and animals in this region of Siberia will be undoubtedly impacted and some species may never recover. This is not the first oil spill of its kind, and it will likely not be the last. 

Renee is currently an English student at The University of Georgia. She lives in Ellijay, Georgia, a small mountain town in the middle of Appalachia. A passionate writer, she is inspired often by her hikes along the Appalachian trail and her efforts to fight for equality across all spectrums. She hopes to further her passion as a writer into a flourishing career that positively impacts others.