The most oil ever spilled was actually released on purpose as part of the Iraqi war plan during the Gulf War in 1991. Almost a million tons of oil were released into the Persian Gulf. This oil covered 1,500 square kilometers of water in the Persian Gulf, and also damaged 650 kilometers of the coastlines of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. In some places, oil floating on the water was measured to be 43 centimeters thick. Water birds, water plants, and fish were all seriously harmed by the oil. The long-term effects of this act on the food chain in the area are likely to cause problems far into the future.