BGS has drilled almost 600 boreholes to prove seismic interpretations of the marine Quaternary geology and bedrock from the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS). The collection also includes additional third party data and has assisted in the creation of BGS Marine Geology Maps. The boreholes penetrate beneath the sea bed to depths ranging from about 10m to over 300m depending on the target depth or technical problems associated with drilling the borehole. The data includes descriptive geological core logs and data which has been captured from these and in some cases natural gamma logs. A variety of analyses has been conducted on the core material such as Particle Size Analysis, micropalaeontological, geotechnical, palaeomagnetic and age dating. Core material are managed as part of the BGS Materials collection and are available for examination and subsampling. The data are stored as part of the National Geoscience Data Centre (NGDC) and the Marine Environmental Data and Information Network (MEDIN) Data Archive Centre (DAC) for Geology and Geophysics. Data are delivered via the BGS Offshore GeoIndex http://www.bgs.ac.uk/GeoIndex/offshore.htm. The activity and scan layers contains location information, metadata and links to scanned borehole logs, and the geological data layers contain observations and/or measurements as digital values. The data are applicable to a wide range of uses including environmental, geotechnical and geological studies. Reference: Fannin, NGT. (1989) Offshore Investigations 1966-87 British Geological Survey Technical Report WB/89/02, British Geological Survey.

The data set consists of the results of particle size analysis (PSA) performed on approximetaly 29,000 sea-bed sediment samples collected by BGS from the UK Continental Shelf and adjacent deep water areas, mostly using sediment grabs, but also sediment corers on occasions. Measurements were also made on approximately 8000 downhole sub-samples from shallow cores and boreholes. Data from other UK organisations have also been added to the PSA dataset. The data are stored as part of the National Geoscience Data Centre (NGDC) and the Marine Environmental Data and Information Network (MEDIN) Data Archive Centre (DAC) for Geology and Geophysics. Data are delivered via the BGS Offshore GeoIndex www.bgs.ac.uk/GeoIndex/offshore.htm Seabed Sediment Data layers.

The Marine Maps and Chart Archive held by BGS contains maps created by BGS (the majority of which result from BGS offshore mapping projects) and also maps acquired from various other sources (e.g. UK Hydrographic Office and MCA Civil Hydrography Programme survey charts). The maps which date from the 1960s onwards are very variable in subject type and scale ranging from survey navigation to geological interpretation. The maps are primarily for the UKCS (United Kingdom Continental Shelf). The coverage of some map types is the entire UKCS whilst other have only regional or localised extent. The maps which are a mix of paper and digital are applicable to a wide range of uses including environmental, geotechnical, geophysical and geological studies. range of uses including environmental, geotechnical, geophysical and geological studies. Scanned maps can be viewed via the BGS maps portal http://www.bgs.ac.uk/data/maps.

The British Geological Survey has collected over 50000 offshore samples using grabs, dredges and shallow coring devices (to a maximum depth of 6m below the sea bed). The collection also includes additional third party data and has assisted in the creation of BGS Marine Geology Maps. The distribution is variable, but in general there are sample stations spaced about every 5 - 10km across the entire UK Continental Shelf (UKCS). In some localised areas the sampling density is much higher. The data held includes digital data and analogue records (sample data sheets), plus associated physical sample material. Sample data sheets which have been scanned contain index information and geological descriptions and are more detailed from 1983 onwards. Coded geological descriptions were entered on sheets which were subsequently digitised, and this information is available for about 10,000 samples. The data also includes results of analyses such as micropalaeontological examination or age dating. Particle Size Analysis, geochemistry and geotechnical data are described in separate metadata entries. Sample material are managed as part of the BGS Materials collection and are available for examination and subsampling. The data are stored within the National Geoscience Data Centre (NGDC) and Marine Environmental Data and Information Network (MEDIN) Data Archive Centre (DAC) for Geology and Geophysics. Data are delivered via the BGS Offshore GeoIndex www.bgs.ac.uk/GeoIndex/offshore.htm.The activity and scan layers contains location information, metadata and links to scanned sample datasheets/core logs, and the geological, geotechnical, geochemical and sea-bed sediment data layers contain observations and/or measurements as digital values. The data are applicable to a wide range of uses including environmental, geotechnical and geological studies. Reference: Fannin, NGT. (1989) Offshore Investigations 1966-87. British Geological Survey Technical Report WB/89/2, British Geological Survey.