Offshore investigations 1966-87

Offshore work by the British Geological Survey (then the Institute of Geological Sciences) began in 1966. From the outset, the objective of the programme was to map the geology beneath United Kingdom (UK) Designated Waters, (Figure 1 ), starting with the inner areas. This imaginative step represented a commitment to investigate national offshore resources on a scale not attempted by any other country. Initially constrained by available techniques, surveys were undertaken in shallow and protected areas, progressively moving into deeper and more exposed waters. Recent data acquisition has concentrated on the areas to the northwest of the United Kingdom and on the eastern flanks of the Rockall Trough and Faeroe-Shetland Channel. Initially the offshore work was funded by the Department of Education and Science through the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). However, following the introduction of the Rothschild principle of customer/contractor funding in 1973, the programme was initially supported by the Department of Trade and Industry and subsequently by the Department of Energy (DEn). DEn is charged with ensuring a continuous, cost-effective and safe energy supply for the nation, and the Petroleum Engineering Division have particular responsibilities concerning the identification and exploitation of hydrocarbons. Consequently in 1979, DEn assumed responsibilities for a large part of the costs of the offshore programmes, and contracted the British Geological Survey (BGS) to investigate and advise upon geological conditions. This resulted in the identification of a carefully defined programme of work and output.