History

The Environmental Characterization Database was built within the universe of environmental licensing/operators of Oil and Natural Gas, but since the first meetings to identify its bases and objectives, some commitments were identified as essential:
  • transparency and full access to data for all registered users;
  • building a clear chain of responsibilities;
  • possibility of including research and development data, in addition to the expected environmental characterization and monitoring projects; and
  • possibility of interconnections with environmental databases maintained by different institutions.

In its current stage, this Environmental Characterization Database features the possibility to load environmental oceanographic data such as meteorological and current data, as well as water and sediment quality, seabed cover, plankton, benthos and nekton data. In addition, the user can query and download spreadsheets with the detailed results. In addition, to the data properly consulted, the users will have access to detailed information that will allow them, under their responsibility, to redo analyzes and, consequently, to reach new interpretations/conclusions.


Objectives-Assumptions and Perspectives

The main goals of the Environmental Characterization Database are:
  • subsidizing environmental sensitivity analyzes for new rounds and decision-making processes when choosing between locational alternatives;
  • strengthening environmental diagnoses by integrating environmental characterization data;
  • making the assessment of environmental impacts of different offshore activities more accurate, allowing for better targeting of mitigation and monitoring projects; and
  • subsidizing the streamlining of environmental licensing processes.
The following assumptions inform this Environmental Characterization Database:
  • publicizing project data and information in a clear and easily accessible manner, both to consulting companies responsible for preparing environmental studies, as well as to the scientific community and the general public;
  • allowing the upload of data obtained by any environmental characterization and monitoring campaigns, including by research projects unrelated to environmental licensing; and
  • ensuring access to data by any user, who will be responsible for the use of the information.
This Database is still under development. Throughout its development process, it aims to achieve other goals, envisioning as perspectives:
  • interconnections with environmental databases maintained by different institutions;
  • repository of data from basic research, expanding the database and its spatial coverage and allowing this Database to function as a platform for disclosing results; and
  • development of graphical outputs and objective and standardized reports, which consolidate information from different sources and allow spatial and temporal evaluation of data, according to the search parameters defined by the user.

Chain of Responsibility

This Environmental Characterization Database considers the detailed identification of those responsible for the information provided a matter of great importance, not only so that users can have a basis to trust the data they intend to use, but also so that it is possible to identify, for example, where the biological samples were stored, making taxonomic research activities easier.

The table below shows the responsibilities mapped by the Environmental Characterization Database.

Identification of responsabilities according to the Environmental Characterization Database
by effort, within each project Technician responsible
Company/Institution responsible
by field activities by effort, within each project company responsible for the operation of the vessel
company responsible for the operation of sampling equipment
technician responsible for validating samples obtained
technicians responsible for handling and treating samples in situ until delivery to laboratories for analysis
technicians responsible for the visual assessment of the bottom conditions to obtain sediment samples and/or to indicate the relocation of stations
technicians responsible for the sighting efforts of the nekton
by oceanography data of each effort, within each project CTD Responsibility for analysis
Responsibility for the Interpretation and Discussion of Results
Currents Responsibility for analysis
Responsibility for the Interpretation and Discussion of Results
by water quality data (subsurface and other depths) of each effort, within each project Responsibility for analysis
Responsibility for the Interpretation and Discussion of Results
by data from plankton of each effort, within each project Bacterioplankton Responsibility for analysis
Responsibility for the Interpretation and Discussion of Results
Destination of biological samples
Fitoplankton Responsibility for analysis
Responsibility for the Interpretation and Discussion of Results
Destination of biological samples
Zooplankton Responsibility for analysis
Responsibility for the Interpretation and Discussion of Results
Destination of biological samples
Ictioplankton Responsibility for analysis
Responsibility for the Interpretation and Discussion of Results
Destination of biological samples
by visually evaluating the ocean bottom of each effort, within each project Responsibility for the Interpretation and Discussion of Results
by sediment quality data from each effort, within each project Responsibility for the Interpretation and Discussion of Results
by data from benthos, of each effort, within each project Meiofauna Responsibility for analysis
Responsibility for the Interpretation and Discussion of Results
Destination of biological samples
Macrofauna Responsibility for analysis
Responsibility for the Interpretation and Discussion of Results
Destination of biological samples
by data from nekton, from each effort, within each project Responsibility for the Interpretation and Discussion of Results
by loading each effort into the Database Company/Institution responsible
Technician responsible
for making data public through the Database Company/Institution responsible
Technician responsible

The responsibility of identified companies and professionals is restricted to the items identified as being under their responsibility, with special attention to the person responsible for loading each campaign and the person responsible for the final approval for the publication of each campaign on the Database.

The responsibility for the use of the information obtained through this Database cylinder belongs to the user, there remaining no responsibility of any kind to any of the professionals or companies whose responsibilities have been identified for each project and/or campaign. However, as suggested in each campaign and/or project, the source project and the current Database cylinder shall be cited.