Biodiversity management in exploratory projects, especially in remote areas, includes risk analysis and decision-making with little information available. In order to optimize the effort and manage business risks, biodiversity information from previous studies and secondary sources and recent data resulting from field work of the companies should be considered valuable (e.g. biodiversity and environmental impact studies). The objective of this project was to create a biodiversity information system enabling the effective resources management as well as activities planning, through an understanding of the different attributes in the landscape and the ecosystem services analysis, integrating the multidisciplinary knowledge within the framework of a spatial analysis.Biodiversity information can be organized for developing biodiversity conservation strategies and for managing oil and gas projects' life-cycle, as long as it is available and logically structured. Biodiversity data is usually in reports where its consolidation and management is not easy. Geographic Information Systems rise an opportunity; geospatial data (georeferenced information) can be converted in a digital format and the management improved. For this case study, we selected the variables needed to be included in the biodiversity database, reviewing the quality of the data, its usefulness for a potential future use, the availability, versatility of biodiversity consultations and the data generation costs and in the right time.The conceptualization and structure of the biodiversity geodatabase developed in this project allows the integration and spatial analysis of biological, social, environmental and engineering information of exploratory projects, becoming an important tool to answer questions and solve problems. With the aim of speeding up the analysis and the subsequent use or interpretation, important considerations for the data standardization and systematization were addressed from participatory workshops with different disciplines (as engineering, community relations, and safety and environment). This database helps data management improvement and gap analysis as well as biodiversity data adquisition in Oil & Gas projects. This tool contributes to energy companies in the selection of biodiversity and ecosystem services performance indicators; as well as their subsequent monitoring and the implementation of biodiversity actions plans.

Biological monitoring programs provide data and information for decision making and to ensure the resources protection. However, in tropical ecosystems that are home to most of the planet’s biodiversity these programs need to be improved in design and implementation. As part of the Environmental Management Plan "Environmental Impact Assessment for the 2D-3D Seismic Program and drilling of 22 exploratory wells in Kinteroni, Mapi and Mashira – Block 57" (Peru), we develop a Biological Monitoring Plan to keep track of potential biological changes (temporal and spatial scale) caused by the project activities to identify the need for corrective actions or to define new measures for unforeseen impacts. Temporarily, the activities of the monitoring plan depend on the stages of the project (construction, operation and closure), meanwhile they correspond spatially to factors that may cause effects on the flora and fauna. Block 57 is located in the Amazon rain forest of southern Peru; this is an ecosystem with limited information. Seeking a scheme to support exploration activities, It has been designed a systematic biological monitoring program, based on a gradient of disturbance caused by the clarification of an area. This design is intended to identify the variables that are most sensitive to the effect of exploration activities in forests with similar features and comparable seasons. The design is being implemented in exploratory platforms of Block 57 located in the buffer zones of the Ashaninka and Machiguenga Communal Reserves and Otishi National Park, covering the three stages of the drilling process, and evaluating spatially flora and arthropods to smaller scale (≤ 150 m from the edge of the deforested area) and birds, small mammals and reptiles at the mesoscale (≤ 600 m from the edge of the deforested area), in the area around the cleared area. The information generated, besides determining the parameters used to assess the level of impacts on local wildlife generated during the drilling, helps to evaluate the effectiveness of appropriate sampling methodologies and optimizes logistics; looking forward to replicate this design in other tropical ecosystems.

Tropical forests are megadiverse ecosystems with a high degree of complexity. Inside them, may be recognized areas where the important resources are concentrated for populations of wild fauna inhabiting them. Those areas called BSA (biological sensitive areas) attract a great quantity and diversity of species, and include among others, the salt and clay licks, baths/watering holes, feeders and nesting zones.During the activities of seismic 3D, are established mitigation measures such as offset displacements applied near the BSAs; and although these management practices are divulged, currently there is scarce information regarding the efficiency of these; as well as the effects of the seismic on the wild fauna population. The necessity of extending the knowledge there is on these aspects is the basis of the importance of this work.The study consisted in the follow up through the use of trap cameras of a population of Leopardus pardalis (ocelot) using as biological indicators: abundance and spacial distribution of the specie, and also the monitoring of the frequency of use of five SBAs (two salt or clay licks, two roads and a watering hole), which were selected according to their size, frequency of use and distance from the seismic lines. The studied area had a scope of approximately 35,8 Km 2 , inside the zone of 3D seismic acquisition (210 Km 2 ); in this zone was distributed a grid with 23 stations with trap cameras (separated with a distance between 900 -1300 m), as well as 5 stations in the BSAs selected. The trap cameras were located at a height between 25-45cm, operating 24 hours and being reviewed in average every 10 days. The study period include the phases: before (control), during (phases of topography, drilling and registry), and after the seismic activity (abandonment).The data obtained applies to the minimization of impacts on the biodiversity in 3D seismic explorations, serving as support to improve environmental practices of the sector as well as the main aspects to be taken into consideration for success. The resulting information also contributes to the knowledge of the biological diversity of one of the most remote zones and with high exploration and production of hydrocarbons activities.

For more than twenty years, Seismic surveys have been changing both in the incorporation of environmental and biodiversity criteria as well as in its implementation and performance indicators. The 3D seismic survey in the block 57 located in the tropical Andes, lower basin of the Urubamba river, has incorporated new techniques to minimize direct, secondary and cumulative impacts, focusing on each phase of the exploratory project. The technology used for data acquisition was made through the Geospace Seismic Recorder (GSX), which is a cableless seismic acquisition system that does not need a white house in seismic lines. This made possible the reduction of flying hours to transport materials, as well as a lower fuel consumption and clearing areas of flying camps and drop zones. The effluent treatment was one of the greatest challenges, due to the environmental standards set for dumping. In the base camp, additionally to the implementation of a wastewater treatment plant(conventionally used in other projects), it was necessary to complement it with previous processes by the use of equalization tanks and with subsequent processes using sedimentation cameras, flocculation and high rate filtration. During the topography and advanced studies, each group was assistedwith specialized personnel for the identification of Biologically Sensitive Areas (BSA) as well as forest survey prior to deforestation. In spite of the difficulty of the terrain and the predominance of the bamboo (Guadua spp.), seismic lines had a maximum width of 1.5 meters andrespected trees of more than 10 cm DBH. Biologically Sensitive Areas (BSA) were identified and avoided in the flying camps, heliports, seismics lines and drop zones. Abandonment activities considered primarily the natural regeneration of the forest. Residual wood from deforestation and flying camps were chopped on average of 0.3 × 0.45 × 0.20 meters in order to promote its decomposition. In addition, compacted soil was loosed on the areas intervened. The use of similar species that were reported in the forestry survey was also considered. For this purpose a greenhouse with 230 seedlings on average was installed in each camp from the beginning until the abandonment, and certified seed of native forest species: Amasisa (Erythrina ulei), Huairuro (Ormosia coccinea), Pachaco (Parkia multijuga), Bolaina (Guazuma crinita) Copaiba (Copaifera paupera) was also used. In the case of drop zones located in lines nearby, samples were used to the area.

The development of gas transportation projects is considered as one of the main causes of the loss of biodiversity, habitat fragmentation and edge effect. This study has important implications in terms of conservation, forest regeneration and wildlife management.The biological monitoring methodology was designed and implemented for linear projects such as identification criteria considering borders, functional food webs and transversal adaptive management approach to the different stages of a development project (construction, operation and closure) allowing the biological monitoring program of the "Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the development of the southern Kinteroni field area "(Peru) evolve through these stages and function as a management tool and as a support for the various planning entities involved in the development of linear projects in tropical forest. The identification of the distances between the edge zones, intermediate and deep forest was conducted by measuring the intensity of light, allowing adjusting the model by the different characteristics of the forest. Wildlife records were made using camera traps.