diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 384802b..e07669a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -138,6 +138,8 @@ Variable | Description
 `KEEPER_NETWORK_NAME` | set to one of `"ganache"` (default), `"kovan"`, or `"ocean_poa_net_local"`
 `ARTIFACTS_FOLDER` | this is where the deployed smart contracts abi files will be available. This can be pointed at any path you like.
 
+In addition to these variables, when running Brizo you need to provide the Azure credentials to allow Brizo connect to Azure. These variables can be configured in the file `brizo.env`.
+
 ## Contributing
 
 We use GitHub as a means for maintaining and tracking issues and source code development.
diff --git a/brizo.env b/brizo.env
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..735b028
--- /dev/null
+++ b/brizo.env
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+# Use this file to set the env vars required for Brizo.
+
+KEEPER_URL=http://parity-node:8545
+LOCAL_CONTRACTS=true
+KEEPER_NETWORK_NAME=ocean_poa_net_local
+
+SECRET_STORE_URL=http://secret-store:12001
+PARITY_URL=http://parity-node:8545
+# Set a valid parity address and password to have seamless interaction with the `keeper`
+PARITY_ADDRESS=
+PARITY_PASSWORD=
+
+AQUARIUS_URL=http://aquarius:5000
+BRIZO_URL=http://brizo:8030
+
+AZURE_ACCOUNT_NAME=
+AZURE_ACCOUNT_KEY=
+AZURE_RESOURCE_GROUP=
+AZURE_LOCATION=westus
+AZURE_CLIENT_ID=
+AZURE_CLIENT_SECRET=
+AZURE_TENANT_ID=
+AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID=
diff --git a/docker-compose-local-parity-node.yml b/docker-compose-local-parity-node.yml
index 46caf74..a1c742f 100644
--- a/docker-compose-local-parity-node.yml
+++ b/docker-compose-local-parity-node.yml
@@ -113,11 +113,8 @@ services:
     depends_on:
     - keeper-contracts
     - parity-node
-    environment:
-      KEEPER_URL: http://parity-node:8545
-      LOCAL_CONTRACTS: "true"
-      KEEPER_NETWORK_NAME: ${KEEPER_NETWORK_NAME}
-      AQUARIUS_URL: http://aquarius:5000
+    env_file:
+      - ${BRIZO_ENV_FILE}
     volumes:
     - ${ARTIFACTS_FOLDER}:/usr/local/keeper-contracts/:ro
 
diff --git a/docker-compose-no-pleuston.yml b/docker-compose-no-pleuston.yml
index 8a19ca2..f716e07 100644
--- a/docker-compose-no-pleuston.yml
+++ b/docker-compose-no-pleuston.yml
@@ -50,9 +50,8 @@ services:
     - backend
     depends_on:
     - keeper-contracts
-    environment:
-      KEEPER_URL: http://keeper-contracts:8545
-      LOCAL_CONTRACTS: "true"
+    env_file:
+      - ${BRIZO_ENV_FILE}
     volumes:
     - ${ARTIFACTS_FOLDER}:/usr/local/keeper-contracts/:ro
 
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 80e4482..7d46799 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -50,9 +50,8 @@ services:
     - backend
     depends_on:
     - keeper-contracts
-    environment:
-      KEEPER_URL: http://keeper-contracts:8545
-      LOCAL_CONTRACTS: "true"
+    env_file:
+      - ${BRIZO_ENV_FILE}
     volumes:
     - ${ARTIFACTS_FOLDER}:/usr/local/keeper-contracts/:ro
 
diff --git a/start_ocean.sh b/start_ocean.sh
index 78d90ff..2625296 100755
--- a/start_ocean.sh
+++ b/start_ocean.sh
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
 # Must be set to true for the first run, change it to "false" to avoid migrating the smart contracts on each run.
-export DEPLOY_CONTRACTS="true"
+export DEPLOY_CONTRACTS="false"
 # Ganache specific option, these two options have no effect when not running ganache-cli
 export GANACHE_DATABASE_PATH="."
 export REUSE_DATABASE="false"
 # Specify which ethereum client to run or connect to: kovan, ganache, or ocean_poa_net_local
 export KEEPER_NETWORK_NAME="ganache"
 export ARTIFACTS_FOLDER=~/.ocean/keeper-contracts/artifacts
+export BRIZO_ENV_FILE=./brizo.env
 
 # colors
 COLOR_R="\033[0;31m"    # red