NGR hydrocarbons (well samples) database

Operators working on the UK continental shelf (UKCS) are required by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Oil & Gas Authority (OGA) to deposit representative samples of core and cuttings at the NGR. The full regulations covering this requirement can be found at PON9 and, for recent wells, in the Information and Samples Regulations made under the Energy Act 2016.

The retention of the samples together with the legacy data being gathered in the National Geoscience Data Centre (NGDC) will provide a unique collection of data to assist research and exploration on the UKCS.

Regulation requirements

The regulations state that:

• representative cuts must be taken from all cores; these must:
  • consist of at least one quarter the width of the core
  • allow standard poroperm plugs to be taken
• regular sets of washed and dried cuttings samples must be provided:
  • each of these must be at least 100 g in weight

Viewing and sampling

Borehole material may be viewed and sampled in the BGS laboratories, by arrangement and subject to certain regulations. You can either email the Chief Curator or complete and post the borehole material regulations and booking form.

The collection was transferred from Gilmerton in Edinburgh to Keyworth in Nottinghamshire during 2011–2012. To provide a condition survey of the material, the whole collection was photographed and the images can now be viewed using the UKCS (offshore) hydrocarbon wells database.

A searchable map of the wells on the UKCS can be found in the BGS offshore GeoIndex and on the OGA website, where an automatically generated request form can also be found.

Get in touch

For general NGR enquiries or to arrange a visit, please contact:
enquiries@bgs.ac.uk or 0115 936 3143