Satellite imagery provides one of the clearest ways to understand Kharg Island’s geography, oil infrastructure, marine terminals, and relationship with the surrounding Persian Gulf.
From above, the island’s storage tanks, loading jetties, offshore terminal, developed areas, roads, coastline, and nearby vessels are readily distinguishable. Comparing imagery captured on different dates can also reveal changes in tanker activity, construction, environmental conditions, and infrastructure use.
Viewing Kharg Island from Space
Kharg Island is located in the northern Persian Gulf, off the coast of Iran’s Bushehr Province. Its approximate geographic center is:
Latitude: 29.25° North
Longitude: 50.33° East
The island is approximately eight kilometers long and covers roughly 21 square kilometers. Although relatively small, its industrial footprint is unmistakable in high-resolution satellite imagery.
View Kharg Island on Google Maps
What Can Be Seen in Satellite Images?
Several prominent features can be identified when examining Kharg Island from above.
Crude-Oil Storage Tanks
Large circular storage tanks dominate portions of the island. These tanks receive crude oil transported from mainland production areas through pipelines.
Tank farms are usually easy to recognize because the circular tanks are arranged in organized groups connected by roads and pipeline corridors. Their bright roofs, circular shadows, and consistent spacing contrast with the island’s natural terrain.
Some petroleum tanks use floating roofs that move with the level of oil inside. Under favorable viewing conditions, analysts may use shadows and roof positions to estimate whether individual tanks appear relatively full or empty. Such estimates remain approximate and can be affected by lighting, image resolution, tank design, and viewing angle.
T-Jetty
The T-Jetty extends into the water from the eastern side of Kharg Island. Its long, narrow shape and tanker berths are clearly visible from above.
Large vessels may appear alongside the jetty during loading operations. Comparing images from different dates can show when berths are occupied, when tankers are waiting nearby, or when the terminal appears inactive.
Learn About Shipping and Tanker Traffic
Sea Island Terminal
The Sea Island terminal is an offshore loading facility situated in deeper water away from the shoreline. It was designed to accommodate very large crude carriers and other deep-draft tankers.
In high-resolution imagery, the terminal appears as a long offshore structure connected to the island’s petroleum network. Tankers berthed alongside it may be more than 300 meters long, making them easily recognizable in clear images.
Pipeline and Road Corridors
Lines crossing the island may represent roads, utility routes, or pipelines connecting storage areas with marine terminals and other facilities.
Satellite imagery alone does not always reveal the purpose of a particular corridor. Analysts often compare the image with maps, historical documents, maritime information, and infrastructure reports before identifying it.
Developed and Residential Areas
Kharg Island is not entirely industrial. Imagery also shows developed areas containing homes, public facilities, roads, vegetation, and other community infrastructure.
These areas provide a visible contrast with the large tank farms and terminal structures associated with petroleum exports.
Khargu Island
Khargu Island, also spelled Kharku, is located a short distance north of Kharg Island. It is smaller and considerably less developed.
Its proximity can make the two islands appear together in wider regional satellite views. Khargu should not be confused with the principal oil-terminal island.
Tankers and Support Vessels
Large tankers can often be identified near loading berths or in surrounding anchorages. Tugboats, pilot boats, supply craft, and other support vessels may also appear when image resolution permits.
A tanker’s size, location, orientation, and movement between images can provide clues about terminal activity. However, an image captures only one moment, and the absence of a tanker in a single image does not establish a prolonged interruption.
NASA’s Astronaut Photograph of Kharg Island
NASA’s Earth Observatory features a high-resolution photograph of Kharg Island taken by astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
The image clearly shows tanker-loading facilities, storage tanks, roads, developed areas, and other infrastructure. Sunlight reflecting from the surface of the Persian Gulf also reveals water patterns and the direction of local currents.
This NASA image provides an excellent overview because it combines broad geographic context with enough detail to identify much of the island’s petroleum infrastructure.
Optical and Radar Satellite Imagery
Not every satellite observes Earth in the same way. Different sensors reveal different types of information.
Optical Imagery
Optical satellites capture reflected visible and infrared light. Their images often resemble aerial photographs and can show:
- Coastlines and terrain
- Buildings and roads
- Storage tanks
- Tankers and loading terminals
- Vegetation
- Smoke, sediment or discoloration
- Construction and surface changes
Clouds, haze, dust, darkness, and sun angle can limit what optical imagery reveals.
Synthetic Aperture Radar
Synthetic aperture radar, commonly abbreviated as SAR, sends radar signals toward Earth and measures their reflection.
Radar satellites can observe the surface during the day or at night and can collect useful data through many cloud conditions. They are particularly valuable for detecting vessels, changes in surface texture, flooding, and possible pollution patterns on water.
Radar imagery does not look like a conventional photograph and requires careful interpretation. Brightness can be affected by vessel shape, wind, waves, viewing geometry, and the material being observed.
Monitoring Tanker Activity
Satellite imagery is frequently used alongside Automatic Identification System data to study tanker traffic.
AIS may report a vessel’s identity, location, speed, course, and destination. Satellite imagery can sometimes confirm that a ship is physically present even when its public AIS transmission is incomplete or unavailable.
Analysts may compare:
- The number of vessels near Kharg Island
- Which terminal berths are occupied
- Tanker arrivals and departures
- Changes in a vessel’s draft
- Nearby ship-to-ship activity
- AIS transmissions and satellite detections
- Images captured before and after significant events
Neither satellite imagery nor AIS provides a perfect picture by itself. Combining multiple sources produces a more reliable assessment.
Environmental Monitoring
Satellite observations can help identify possible oil slicks, coastal changes, smoke, disturbed sediment, and other environmental conditions around Kharg Island.
In May 2026, images from the European Union’s Copernicus Sentinel satellites showed a large suspected petroleum slick west of the island. Subsequent reporting indicated uncertainty about its source. Iranian officials said the pollution did not originate from Kharg Island’s tanks, pipelines, or loading systems and suggested that contaminated ballast water discharged by a tanker may have been responsible.
The event demonstrated both the value and limitations of satellite monitoring. Imagery can reveal that an unusual feature exists, but determining its precise composition, source, and cause often requires field observations and additional evidence.
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Comparing Images Over Time
A single satellite image provides a snapshot. A sequence of images can reveal much more.
Historical comparisons may help researchers examine:
- Expansion or repair of storage facilities
- Changes to marine terminals
- Construction of roads and buildings
- Tanker-loading patterns
- Wartime damage and reconstruction
- Coastal and environmental changes
- Long-term industrial development
Image comparisons must account for differences in resolution, season, weather, sun angle, tide, sensor type, and processing method.
Free Satellite-Viewing Resources
Several publicly accessible services allow users to explore Kharg Island from above.
NASA Earth Observatory
NASA provides an astronaut photograph and background information about Kharg Island’s infrastructure and surrounding waters.
Google Earth
Google Earth offers an accessible overview of the island and may provide historical imagery depending on the version being used.
Search for:
Kharg Island, Iran
Copernicus Browser
The European Union’s Copernicus Browser provides access to imagery from Sentinel satellites. Users can search by coordinates, choose dates, compare observations, and examine optical or radar data.
https://browser.dataspace.copernicus.eu
Search using:
29.25, 50.33
NASA Worldview
NASA Worldview allows users to browse and compare global satellite layers by date. It is particularly useful for environmental conditions, dust, clouds, smoke, and large surface features.
https://worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov
Important Interpretation Limitations
Satellite imagery is powerful, but it should not be treated as infallible.
Image interpretation can be affected by:
- Resolution
- Cloud cover and atmospheric haze
- Shadows and sun angle
- Radar viewing geometry
- Image-processing choices
- Missing observation dates
- Incorrect feature identification
- Lack of supporting ground information
Claims about tank levels, vessel cargoes, damage, pollution, or terminal operations should therefore be presented as estimates unless confirmed by additional evidence.
Continue Exploring
Satellite imagery reveals how Kharg Island’s geography, oil infrastructure, and maritime operations fit together. Continue exploring the island’s export terminal, tanker traffic, regional position, and strategic importance.
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