Development of the concept of spatial–temporal mask for testing effects of discharge from well-drilling activities on biological communities

This paper describes the use of Bayesian spatial models to develop the concept of a spatial–temporal mask for the purpose of identifying regions in which before and after drilling effects are most clearly defined and from which the consequences of exposure of macrofauna and meiofauna to the release of drilling discharges can be evaluated over time. To determine the effects of drilling fluids and drill-cuttings on the marine benthic community, it is essential to know not only where discharged materials ended up within the possible impact area, but also the chemical concentrations to which biota were exposed during and after drilling. Barium and light hydrocarbons were used as chemical tracers for water-based and non-aqueous-based fluids in a shallow water site in the Campos Basin, off the coast of Brazil. Since the site showed evidence of exposure to waste material from earlier drilling, the analysis needed to take into account the background concentrations of these compounds. Using the Bayesian models, concentrations at unsampled sites were predicted and regions altered and previously contaminated were identified.