The NSTA is committed to improving access to quality data to revitalise exploration of oil and gas across the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS).
Over the past few years numerous licence round and other geoscientific data packages have been released, totalling more than 400GB of freely available exploration data. Whilst the data was originally released in support of continued petroleum exploration activity, much of the data can now also be used to aid the understanding and subsurface evaluation of offshore carbon storage and other key energy transition solutions.
All data can be accessed through the UK National Data Repository (NDR) and the NSTA Open Data site
The table below is a summary of all the exploration data, as of January 2020, that is openly available on the NSTA’s Open Data site.
| Initiative | Link | Area | Provider | Abstract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21CXRM | BGS MNSH Final | MNSH | BGS | Study of the Carboniferous and Devonian petroleum systems focused over and around the Mid North Sea High. The project delivery includes seismic, well and gravity interpretations along with burial/uplift/maturity modelling, source rock geochemistry studies and palaeographic reconstructions to inform the location of prospective Carboniferous and Devonian plays. Onshore data and knowledge has been incorporated. |
| 21CXRM | BGS Irish Sea Final | Irish Sea | BGS | Study of the Carboniferous play focused on the Irish Sea area. The project delivery includes seismic, well and gravity interpretations along with burial/uplift/maturity modelling, source rock geochemistry studies and palaeographic reconstructions to inform the location of prospective Carboniferous and Devonian plays. Onshore data and knowledge has been incorporated. |
| 21CXRM | BGS 21CXRM Paleozoic Project | UKCS | BGS | Study of the Carboniferous and Devonian petroleum systems. The project delivery includes seismic, well and gravity interpretations along with burial/uplift/maturity modelling, source rock geochemistry studies and palaeographic reconstructions to inform the location of prospective Carboniferous and Devonian plays. Onshore data and knowledge has been incorporated. |
| 21CXRM | BGS Orcadian Final | UKCS | BGS | Study of the Carboniferous and Devonian petroleum systems focused over and around the Orcadian Basin/East Shetland Platform. The project delivery includes seismic, well and gravity interpretations along with burial/uplift/maturity modelling, source rock geochemistry studies and palaeographic reconstructions to inform the location of prospective Carboniferous and Devonian plays. Onshore data and knowledge has been incorporated. |
| 21CXRM | Source Rock Potential - ESP | ESP | IGI | Evaluation of the source rock potential of the East Shetland Platform including an interpretation report, a geochemical database, 1-D modelling input data and results and a comprehensive literature database. |
| 21CXRM | Post Well Analysis | CNS | NSTA | A post well analysis of exploration and appraisal wells drilled during 2003-2013 in the Moray Firth and the UK central North Sea has been carried out. Wells fall into three categories: dry, technical success, and commercial success. The project focused on the dry wells and the technical but not commercial successes. This was a deliberate move to ensure that we captured key learnings that could be transferred across industry. |
| 21CXRM | ESP SEEBASE Study | ESP | Frogtech | The East Shetland Platform SEEBASE study is an integrated interpretation of public domain and UK NSTA-supplied potential fields datasets, geological maps, plate reconstructions, literature, published cross-sections and seismic sections. |
| 21CXRM | Gravity and Magnetic data - SW Approaches and Western Europe | SWA | Getech | Compilation of processed gravity & magnetic potential fields data across the SW Approaches and Western Europe, including, but not limited to, an assessment of depth-to- basement, depth-to-Moho and estimates of total sediment thickness for the region. |
| 21CXRM | 21CXRM Phase 2 Southwest of Britain Data Package | SWA | NSTA | Integrated petroleum systems (PeST) studies and seep evaluations of the SW Approaches area of the UKCS. |
| 21CXRM | 21CXRM Phase 2 East Shetland Platform Data Package | ESP | NSTA | Integrated petroleum systems (PeST) studies and seep evaluations of the East Shetland Platform area of the UKCS. |
| 30th Licence Round | APT Geochemical Evaluation of oil provenance & quality WoS | WOS | APT | APT’s West of Shetlands geochemical database was purchased with publication rights by the NSTA in March 2017. |
| 30th Licence Round | BGS South West Approaches Study | SWA | BGS | A review of literature on the rather long and complex Variscan orogenic cycle is followed by a consideration of such aspects as the influence of basement structure, orogenic collapse, palaeotopography and palaeoclimate on the development of late Carboniferous-early Permian basins in the area of interest. |
| 30th Licence Round | Geostrat Jurassic Report (open source version) | CNS | Geostrat | Geostrat Report – The Sequence Stratigraphy and Sandstone Play Fairways of the Late Jurassic Humber Group of the UK Central Graben |
| 30th Licence Round | GeoStrat Jurassic Report (ArcGIS version) | CNS | Geostrat | Geostrat Report – The Sequence Stratigraphy and Sandstone Play Fairways of the Late Jurassic Humber Group of the UK Central Graben |
| 30th Licence Round | UKCS Multi-Satellite Gravity Data | UKCS | Getech | The Getech Multi-Satellite data provides a high resolution, consistent gravity dataset for the whole of the offshore UKCS area. |
| 30th Licence Round | Rock Physics reports - selected wells | UKCS | Ikon | This delivery contains a subset of wells from Ikon Science's regional Roknowledge studies which were within some of the areas open as part of the 30th Licencing Round. The wells have been selected from the West of Shetlands and Central North Sea Rock Physics studies and the Southern North Sea Geopressure study. This collaboration with Ikon provides information pertaining to the introduction and methodologies used in the studies, evaluations from key wells, a graphical overview of well coverage and a number of summary findings and case studies. |
| 30th Licence Round | JDWL - 30th Round | UKCS | NSTA | NSTA joined digital well logs selected for release for the 30th Round |
| 30th Licence Round | Geochemistry Database - CNS | CNS | Shell/ExxonMobil | Geochemical database which contains raw and interpreted data plus associated reports from approximately 1800 wells around the UKCS. |
| 30th Licence Round | Geochemistry Database - WOS | WOS | Shell/ExxonMobil | Geochemical database which contains raw and interpreted data plus associated reports from approximately 1800 wells around the UKCS. |
| 30th Licence Round | Geochemistry Database - NNS | NNS | Shell/ExxonMobil | Geochemical database which contains raw and interpreted data plus associated reports from approximately 1800 wells around the UKCS. |
| 30th Licence Round | Geochemistry Database - West of Britain | WOB | Shell/ExxonMobil | Geochemical database which contains raw and interpreted data plus associated reports from approximately 1800 wells around the UKCS. |
| 30th Licence Round | Geochemistry Database - SNS | SNS | Shell/ExxonMobil | Geochemical database which contains raw and interpreted data plus associated reports from approximately 1800 wells around the UKCS. |
| 31st Licence Round | Durham University Post Doctoral Research Project - New Appraisal of the Western Approaches Basin | SWA | Durham University | This project was focused on the SW Approaches area. The deliverables include a review of the chronostratigraphy of the SW Approaches and surrounding basins, an evaluation of the impact of Variscan deformation on the hydrocarbon potential of the area, an assessment of the reservoir quality of the Triassic and Lower Cretaceous intervals and the provision of reservoir and source rock distribution maps. |
| 31st Licence Round | Hypo-Lias: Hydrocarbon potential of the Lias | UKCS | TNO | The original Phase 1 Hypo-Lias report was commissioned by a small group of industry sponsors and remains confidential to that group until 2019. The initial phase of the project was primarily focused around data from Norway and the Netherlands with some UK onshore analogue information. The NSTA participated in Phase 1 of the Hypo-Lias project as a late entrant on the understanding that a subsequent UK Addendum could be made available for publication on completion. This delivery represents the work carried out as part of that addendum. |
| 31st Licence Round | Frontier basins Rockall project: A new view of the UK Rockall Prospectivity (Interim products) | ROCKALL | University of Aberdeen | This project is focused on the Rockall Trough area. This interim delivery provides a comprehensive review of the exploration wells drilled in the UK Rockall Trough including a review of what the well was targeting, the reasons for failure and a stratigraphic summary. |
| 31st Licence Round | Presentation material from the NSTA Frontier Basins Research Workshop | ROCKALL | NSTA | This delivery provides copies of the technical presentations from the Frontier Basins Research Workshop that was hosted by the NSTA in collaboration with Heriot-Watt University on the 27th June 2018. The delivery also contains a short summary document which provides the context for the workshop and abstracts for each of the research areas presented. |
| 32nd Licence Round | Prospects and Leads from Relinquishment Reports | UKCS | NSTA | A spatial database of mapped exploration leads and prospects is being made available. This additional resource has been compiled from information contained in relinquishment reports that have been provided to the NSTA since 2004. This product enables the location of mapped opportunities to be viewed spatially and also filtered according to reservoir age. The database also provides a link to the published relinquishment reports so that the reports can be easily accessed via this spatial view. |
| 32nd Licence Round | Seeps Database | UKCS | NSTA | The NSTA has purchased CGG’s NPA Satellite Mapping (NPA) database for the UKCS for publication. The UK database is composed of 983 individually interpreted satellite images, which form between a 10x and 20x temporal coverage, with 20x coverage for the majority of the North Sea. The NPA methodology uses multiple temporal snapshots in order to reduce interpretation ambiguities, account for the episodic nature of seepage and provides an interpretation of temporally repeating oil slick sites. |
| 32nd Licence Round | Structural and Tectonic Elements Database | UKCS | Getech | This structural and tectonics database has been purchased from Getech by the NSTA for publication. It is based on mapping using gravity and magnetic datasets, remote sensing data, geology maps, publicly available seismic data and literature. Structures are mapped at 1:1m scale, and an extensive number of attributes explain the data used in mapping, kinematics and confidence in the interpretation of the structure. Each structural element also has a detailed activation history within the attribution, describing periods of activity or inactivity and the kinematics through time based on direct data and/or Getech’s tectonic model for the area. |
| 32nd Licence Round | AFTA UKCS Regional Reports | UKCS | Geotrack | In collaboration with Geotrack International, the NSTA is releasing the full catalogue of AFTA regional reports produced by Geotrack for the UKCS. This regional library represents a valuable source of data that can be used to aid the understanding of basin evolution and the impact on active petroleum systems. The reports include data from approximately 170 wells from the main basins of the UKCS plus additional supporting data from relevant outcrops. |
| 32nd Licence Round | CGG Digital Well Logs | UKCS | CGG | The NSTA has purchased digital well data from CGG for an additional 2235 E&A wells. Where available, the NSTA has purchased joined digital well logs, deviation data and checkshot data for these additional wells. |
| 32nd Licence Round | UKCS Petroleum Systems Project: Year 1 | UKCS | NSTA | The deliverables from the first year of the UKCS Petroleum Systems Project. The majority of the entries in the database represent legacy geochemical data collated from CDA (now NDR), the core/cuttings accessions database and other geochemical data. The database also includes new fluid analyses that have been carried out to fill data gaps. This database represents the largest publicly available geochemical database ever compiled for the UKCS. In addition shallow seismic interpretation, petrophysical TOC evaluations for potential source intervals in the Devonian and Middle Jurassic and a set of integrated regional depth maps are also released. |
| 32nd Licence Round | Octek-uk | UKCS | Badley Geoscience | In collaboration with Badley Geoscience, the NSTA is making available Badley’s OCTek-UK products. OCTek-UK provides maps and grids of crustal structure for the UK and adjacent areas, produced by application of the OCTek gravity inversion technique. |
| 32nd Licence Round | Rock Physics and Seismic Amplitude Calibration Study | UKCS | Ikon | Rock physics study conducted by Ikon Science. The study covers two parts of the UKCS – the Central North Sea (CNS) and the East Shetland Basin (ESB) and consists of the petrophysical and rock physics analysis of 45 wells and a seismic amplitude study of selected 3D seismic data sets. |
| Government Seismic | Rockall Government Seismic | ROCKALL | NSTA | PDF map of the Rockall government funded seismic lines |
| Government Seismic | MNSH Government Seismic | MNSH | NSTA | PDF map of the MNSH government funded seismic lines |
| Regional Exploration | Frontier basins Rockall project: A new view of the UK Rockall Prospectivity (final products) | ROCKALL | University of Aberdeen | This delivery provides copies of the technical presentations from the Frontier Basins Research Workshop that was hosted by the NSTA in collaboration with Heriot-Watt University on the 27th June 2018. The delivery also contains a short summary document which provides the context for the workshop and abstracts for each of the research areas presented. |
| Regional Exploration | Regional Geological Maps - NNS and ESP (ArcGIS version) | NNS | NSTA | Set of regional geological maps for the Northern North Sea and East Shetland Platform. Each time interval includes the following products: Depth structure maps; Isochore maps; Subcrop & supercrop maps; Structural elements maps; Depositional facies maps; Reservoir distribution maps; Source rock maps; Well penetration maps; and Hydrocarbon occurrence maps |
| Regional Exploration | Regional Geological Maps - NNS and ESP (OpenSource) | NNS | NSTA | Set of regional geological maps for the Northern North Sea and East Shetland Platform. Each time interval includes the following products: Depth structure maps; Isochore maps; Subcrop & supercrop maps; Structural elements maps; Depositional facies maps; Reservoir distribution maps; Source rock maps; Well penetration maps; and Hydrocarbon occurrence maps |
| Regional Exploration | Regional Geological Maps - SWA (OpenSource) | SWA | NSTA | Set of regional geological maps for the South West Approaches. Each time interval includes the following products: Depth structure maps; Isochore maps; Subcrop & supercrop maps; Structural elements maps; Depositional facies maps; Reservoir distribution maps; Source rock maps; Well penetration maps; and Hydrocarbon occurrence maps |
| Regional Exploration | Regional Geological Maps - SWA and Anglo Paris Basin (ArcGIS version) | SWA | NSTA | Set of regional geological maps for the South West Approaches. Each time interval includes the following products: Depth structure maps; Isochore maps; Subcrop & supercrop maps; Structural elements maps; Depositional facies maps; Reservoir distribution maps; Source rock maps; Well penetration maps; and Hydrocarbon occurrence maps |
| Regional Exploration | Regional Geological Maps - CNS and MF (ArcGIS version) | CNS | NSTA | Set of regional geological maps for the Central North Sea and Moray Firth. Each time interval includes the following products: Depth structure maps; Isochore maps; Subcrop & supercrop maps; Structural elements maps; Depositional facies maps; Reservoir distribution maps; Source rock maps; Well penetration maps; and Hydrocarbon occurrence maps |
| Regional Exploration | Regional Geological Maps - CNS and MF (OpenSource) | CNS | NSTA | Set of regional geological maps for the Central North Sea and Moray Firth. Each time interval includes the following products: Depth structure maps; Isochore maps; Subcrop & supercrop maps; Structural elements maps; Depositional facies maps; Reservoir distribution maps; Source rock maps; Well penetration maps; and Hydrocarbon occurrence maps |
| Regional Exploration | Regional Geological Maps - SNS (ArcGIS version) | SNS | NSTA | Contains a set of regional geological maps for the given area including: depth structure, isochores, subcrop and supercrop, structural elements, depositional facies, reservoir distribution, source rock, well penetration and hydrocarbon occurrence. Includes PDF documents with stratigraphic and petroleum systems charts and explanations of the various maps. Also include digital copies of sand flags (.las) and depth and thickness grids (.xyz). |
| Regional Exploration | Regional Geological Maps - SNS (OpenSource) | SNS | NSTA | Contains a set of regional geological maps for the given area including: depth structure, isochores, subcrop and supercrop, structural elements, depositional facies, reservoir distribution, source rock, well penetration and hydrocarbon occurrence. Includes PDF documents with stratigraphic and petroleum systems charts and explanations of the various maps. Also include digital copies of sand flags (.las) and depth and thickness grids (.xyz). |
| Regional Exploration | Regional Geological Maps - WOS and Rockall (ArcGIS) | WOS | NSTA | Set of regional geological maps for the West of Shetland and Rockall. Each time interval includes the following products: Depth structure maps; Isochore maps; Subcrop & supercrop maps; Structural elements maps; Depositional facies maps; Reservoir distribution maps; Source rock maps; Well penetration maps; and Hydrocarbon occurrence maps |
| Regional Exploration | Regional Geological Maps - WOS and Rockall (OpenSource) | WOS | NSTA | Set of regional geological maps for the West of Shetland and Rockall. Each time interval includes the following products: Depth structure maps; Isochore maps; Subcrop & supercrop maps; Structural elements maps; Depositional facies maps; Reservoir distribution maps; Source rock maps; Well penetration maps; and Hydrocarbon occurrence maps |
| Regional Exploration | Regional Geological Maps - EIS and Cardigan Bay (ArcGIS) | EIS | NSTA | Set of regional geological maps for the East Irish Sea and Cardigan Bay. Each time interval includes the following products: Depth structure maps; Isochore maps; Subcrop & supercrop maps; Structural elements maps; Depositional facies maps; Reservoir distribution maps; Source rock maps; Well penetration maps; and Hydrocarbon occurrence maps |
| Regional Exploration | Regional Geological Maps - EIS and Cardigan Bay (OpenSource) | EIS | NSTA | Set of regional geological maps for the East Irish Sea and Cardigan Bay. Each time interval includes the following products: Depth structure maps; Isochore maps; Subcrop & supercrop maps; Structural elements maps; Depositional facies maps; Reservoir distribution maps; Source rock maps; Well penetration maps; and Hydrocarbon occurrence maps |
| Regional Exploration | Regional Geological Maps - EC (ArcGIS version) | EC | NSTA | Set of regional geological maps for the English Channel. Each time interval includes the following products: Depth structure maps; Isochore maps; Subcrop & supercrop maps; Structural elements maps; Depositional facies maps; Reservoir distribution maps; Source rock maps; Well penetration maps; and Hydrocarbon occurrence maps |
| Regional Exploration | Regional Geological Maps - EC (OpenSource) | EC | NSTA | Set of regional geological maps for the English Channel. Each time interval includes the following products: Depth structure maps; Isochore maps; Subcrop & supercrop maps; Structural elements maps; Depositional facies maps; Reservoir distribution maps; Source rock maps; Well penetration maps; and Hydrocarbon occurrence maps |
| Regional Exploration | Regional Geological Maps - MNSH and FA (ArcGIS version) | MNSH | NSTA | Set of regional geological maps for the Mid North Sea High and Forth Approaches. Each time interval includes the following products: Depth structure maps; Isochore maps; Subcrop & supercrop maps; Structural elements maps; Depositional facies maps; Reservoir distribution maps; Source rock maps; Well penetration maps; and Hydrocarbon occurrence maps |
| Regional Exploration | Regional Geological Maps - MNSH and FA (OpenSource) | MNSH | NSTA | Set of regional geological maps for the Mid North Sea High and Forth Approaches. Each time interval includes the following products: Depth structure maps; Isochore maps; Subcrop & supercrop maps; Structural elements maps; Depositional facies maps; Reservoir distribution maps; Source rock maps; Well penetration maps; and Hydrocarbon occurrence maps |
| Regional Exploration | Regional Geological Maps - UKCS Merged (ArcGIS version) | UKCS | NSTA | Set of regional geological maps for the UKCS. Each time interval includes the following products: Depth structure maps; Isochore maps; Subcrop & supercrop maps; Structural elements maps; Depositional facies maps; Reservoir distribution maps; Source rock maps; Well penetration maps; and Hydrocarbon occurrence maps |
| Regional Exploration | Regional Geological Maps - UKCS Merged (OpenSource) | UKCS | NSTA | Set of regional geological maps for the UKCS. Each time interval includes the following products: Depth structure maps; Isochore maps; Subcrop & supercrop maps; Structural elements maps; Depositional facies maps; Reservoir distribution maps; Source rock maps; Well penetration maps; and Hydrocarbon occurrence maps |
| Regional Exploration | Technical Reports - CNS | CNS | Shell/ExxonMobil | A number of formerly proprietary reports, courtesy of Shell and ExxonMobil, covering regional and subsurface aspects of the Central North Sea, including individual operators’ experiences in low cost well and completion design |
| Regional Exploration | CGG JDWL Available on NDR |
UKCS | CGG | JDWLs released as part of the 30th and 32nd licensing round data packs. |
| Regional Exploration | Core Analysis Database | UKCS | CGG | Please download the Core Analysis Database (47 GB) here. If you’re having and issue downloading please contact ISC@nstauthority.co.uk. |
| Regional Exploration | Pressure Database | UKCS | CGG | Please download the Pressure Database (11 GB) here. If you’re having and issue downloading please contact ISC@nstauthority.co.uk. |
| Regional Exploration | Geothermal Database | UKCS | CGG | As part of the Data Purchase tender process (TRN097012017) that was carried out during Q1 2017, the NSTA has purchased CGG's Geothermal database. |
| Regional Exploration | Collated Well Tops | UKCS | NSTA | The NSTA has published an updated version of the well tops database. |
| Regional Exploration | Geochemistry Database for non-30th round areas | UKCS | Shell/ExxonMobil | Continued collaboration with Shell and ExxonMobil has also resulted in the release of a significant geochemical database which contains raw and interpreted data plus associated reports from approximately 1800 wells around the UKCS. |
| Regional Exploration | Undeveloped Discoveries - montages | UKCS | NSTA | No Description |
| Regional Exploration | Heriot-Watt University MId North Sea High Project - Controls on the Structure, Stratigraphy and Prospectivity of the Mid North Sea High | MNSH | Heriot-Watt University | This delivery provides final products from the two year post-doctoral research project that was undertaken at Heriot-Watt University. This project focused on the Mid North Sea High area of the UKCS and was one of three projects funded by the NSTA through the Frontier Basins Research Programme. This delivery contains well summary sheets, final reports on the seismic and well interpretation, an ArcGIS delivery of the maps produced during the project and digital copies of the time interpreted seismic horizons. |
| Regional Exploration | Geoindex Paleozoic Project | UKCS | BGS | No Description |
| Regional Exploration | CGG Additional JDWLs | UKCS | CGG | The NSTA has purchased CGG’s joined digital well logs (JDWL), deviation surveys and time-depth curves for approximately 900 UKCS exploration and appraisal wells. An additional number of joined digital well logs is being released in support of the 31st Frontier Licensing Round.sdxz This delivery also includes a number of corrections for those who have received the initial delivery. |
| Regional Exploration | Regional Geological Maps - NNS & ESP (change only update) | NNS | NSTA | Set of regional geological maps for the Northern North Sea and East Shetland Platform. Each time interval includes the following products: Depth structure maps; Isochore maps; Subcrop & supercrop maps; Structural elements maps; Depositional facies maps; Reservoir distribution maps; Source rock maps; Well penetration maps; and Hydrocarbon occurrence maps |
| Regional Exploration | Geodatabase to accompany Bowland Shale Study (BGS, NSTA) | UKCS | BGS, NSTA | No Description |
| Regional Exploration | Geodatabase to accompany Midland Valley Shale report (BGS, NSTA) | UKCS | BGS, NSTA | No Description |
| Regional Exploration | Geodatabase to accompany Weald Shale study (BGS, NSTA) | UKCS | BGS, NSTA | No Description |
| Regional Exploration | CMS Data Package | SNS | NSTA | In support of the 32nd Round, a comprehensive data package has been put together over the Southern North Sea Caister Murdoch area to help applicants evaluate this opportunity and progress the material re-development and exploration of this area. |
| Regional Exploration | Heriot-Watt University Mid North Sea High Project - Controls on the Structure, Stratigraphy and Prospectivity of the Mid North Sea High (Final) | MNSH | Heriot-Watt University | This delivery provides final products from the two year post-doctoral research project that was undertaken at Heriot-Watt University. This project focused on the Mid North Sea High area of the UKCS and was one of three projects funded by the NSTA through the Frontier Basins Research Programme. This delivery contains well summary sheets, final reports on the seismic and well interpretation, an ArcGIS delivery of the maps produced during the project and digital copies of the time interpreted seismic horizons. |