Runde Environmental Centre (REC) and Innovation Norway (IN) are cooperating to build a bilateral cooperative cluster for deep-sea environmental monitoring and knowledge. Called the DeepSea Environmental Monitoring Cluster, it will emphasize integration and connection.
The Cluster aims to have an active relationship with deep-sea environmental research and the blue economy; to be committed to solve climate and deep-sea environmental monitoring challenges, create value across existing industries and sectoral structure, such as oil and gas industry and subsea fleet, where Norway and Brazil have expertise; to become a driving force in the development of sustainable solutions for the regional business development in Rio de Janeiro and Møre og Romsdal region, and help to increase innovation speed for the deep-sea environmental monitoring through the cooperation with universities and technology research institutes.
Claudia Erber, a marine biologist from REC, Claudia Erber, presented the DeepSea Project experience and prospects on the Subsea Operations Sessions during a conference (in Rio de Janeiro organized by Innovation Norway and Brazil’s National Innovation Agency (FINEP) at 06 November. All major Norwegian FOU institutions and universities participated. The conference focused on six thematic research areas, each closely related to the technological target areas in the BN21 agreement. These areas are not only important for both countries’ energy industry, but are also based on on-going bilateral Research Industry & Energy partnerships between Brazilian and Norwegian institutions.
Brazil is one of the most relevant export markets for the Norwegian O&G and Maritime industry. REC and CSA Ocean Sciences organized the DSEM Cluster Round-table during the NBBSW. The theme of the roundtable was research and environmental monitoring during decommissioning of oil platforms.
The DSEM Cluster Round Table had 50 participants, including 15 institutions from Brazil and 11 from Norway. The round-table brought multidisciplinary professionals to discuss and exchange experiences relating to the practical problems of environmental monitoring management during decommissioning processes of offshore structures in Norway and Brazil.
Representatives from the Ministry of Mines and Energy and the Ministry of Environment in Brazil discussed possibilities to improve best practices for monitoring the deep-sea environmental before, during, and after decommissioning processes. Kongsberg Maritime presented new technology applicable for the subsea monitoring. Arthur Ayres, from UFF demonstrate new sonar technologies onboard AUV that can develop consistent survey procedures to map subsea installations around production platforms for decommissioning projects. Prooceano and Norwep discussed development of network interaction between government, business and universities that can be used to innovate the deep-sea environmental monitoring.
Runde Environmental Centre is working to to connect industry and science to integrate marine innovation and conservation. The next steps are to obtain funds for the DSEMCluster future development. The DSEMCluster has 20 stakeholders in Brazil and 15 stakeholders in Norway. Claudia Erber, the coordinator from REC, is optimistic about the consolidation of the first cluster for deep-sea environmental monitoring and cooperation between Brazil and Norway. She says, “We are expecting soon the 2nd Public Call Finep – RCN to start-up the new projects to improve the deep-sea knowledge.”
