Rhodolith field covered by some sponges in the Amazon Reef region, 180 meters deep and 120km off the northern coast of Brazil. The formation is inside the block FZA-M-86, where French company Total intends to drill for oil and was found during a Greenpeace expedition in Brazil.
The ship Esperanza is in Brazil for a scientific expedition to the Amazon Reef. Researchers and the Greenpeace team seek for more information on this unique biome. International oil companies want to drill for oil soon within a few kilometers of the Amazon Reef. However, experts warn that an oil spill in the area would irreversibly threaten the well-being of the ecosystem and people living in the coast.