As producers keep crude moving during the ongoing war in Iran, leaks across the Gulf are exposing the growing environmental toll. For the past five months of war, Middle Eastern oil producers have gone to great lengths to meet the world’s insatiable demand for crude.

Now, barrels are washing ashore across the region, showing the ecological cost of these efforts. Recent incidents, such as the Suezmax vessel grounded among the Hallaniyat Islands on Oman’s southern coast on Aug. 6, highlight the increasing risks to the maritime environment.

Reporter Charles Gorrivan examines how the pressure to maintain global energy flows is resulting in significant ecological damage throughout the Middle East.