Review of availability of data on deep geology in the UK onshore area

Shaw, R.P.. 2005 Review of availability of data on deep geology in the UK onshore area. British Geological Survey, 39pp. (CR/05/017N) (Unpublished)

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Abstract/Summary

This report has been prepared for UK Nirex Limited. It reviews the availability of information on the deep geology of on-shore UK and on recent (post 1980) deep (>1,000m) boreholes. At regional scales geological and geophysical coverage is comprehensive though uncertainty increases with increasing depth, for example the rock type, and even age, of the pre-Carboniferous basement in eastern England is often unknown. At more detailed scales coverage is patchy or very limited. Recent BGS projects undertaken as part of its DGSM Project have modelled selected areas of the UK at a variety of resolutions and in these areas understanding and visualisation of sub-surface geology is greatly improved. It is intended that this process will continue in future with the eventual objective that the whole of the UK will be modelled to defined standards at a variety of resolutions. Over the last 30 years the BGS has undertaken a systematic geochemical baseline survey of the UK landmass. To date approximately 75% of the area has been completed, starting in northern Scotland, with eastern and southern England remaining to be surveyed. The majority of the deep boreholes drilled since 1980 have been drilled for coal or hydrocarbon exploration/development purposes. Relatively few boreholes have been drilled post 1990. All BGS boreholes and the geothermal energy programme boreholes pre-date 1980. The majority of the boreholes for which the records were examined and for which information was recorded were drilled using drilling mud for pressure control (use of blow out protection is not recorded for any of the boreholes examined though this may be because of a lack of recording rather than a lack of installation) with large diameters and multiple casing strings.

Item Type:	Publication - Report
Programmes:	BGS Programmes > Other
Funders/Sponsors:	NIREX
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	This item has been internally reviewed but not externally peer-reviewed
NORA Subject Terms:	Earth Sciences
Date made live:	22 Sep 2010 14:01 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/11210

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