New seabed geology maps for offshore Yorkshire
Offshore Yorkshire is the latest map to be released in BGS's series of fine-scale digital seabed maps.
14/03/2023 By BGS Press
BGS has initiated a new programme of mapping the seabed geology of the UK’s continental shelf, the first effort to consistently characterise the geology of the seabed in over 25 years.
The latest map offers new fine-scale digital maps featuring the seabed of offshore Yorkshire that contain combined bedrock, sediment, bedrock structure and geomorphology data. This is the third in a series of new, fine-scale maps to be released by BGS, with maps for offshore Anglesey and the Bristol Channel already available online.
The seabed geology maps are intended to support a diverse range of offshore activities and applications, including scientific research, offshore development, conservation efforts and marine management. It is part of a drive by BGS to develop new, fit-for-purpose geospatial products that, combined with the availability of new high-resolution data, can better meet current and future decarbonisation and marine science challenges. The maps are expected to be of interest to developers looking to deploy technology and infrastructure to create renewable energy.
The maps are based primarily on high-resolution bathymetry data collected through the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s UK Civil Hydrography Programme. They are further informed by acoustic backscatter data, sediment cores and grab samples, seismic data, and existing onshore and offshore map products (both BGS mapsand publicly available academic and industry products).
The geological character of the seabed and shallow subsurface is often complex, but is not well captured by currently available resources.
By applying a consistent approach nationally, incorporating both classical and innovative mapping approaches, these map products offer a unique resource, providing an excellent insight into complex geology, as well as active environmental processes.
Dayton Dove, BGS Marine Geoscientist.
BGS is among other public and government organisations to have joined the UK Centre for Seabed Mapping (UK CSM), helping to boost marine data and mapping standards. Improved geospatial resources will also provide important evidence for policy and decision makers, who need to consider the increasing demands placed on the marine environment from recreation, marine conservation and protection, resource development, and fisheries.
As well as providing important baseline datasets that can underpin efficiency in marine infrastructure projects, such as siting offshore renewables, the analysis and mapping process also leads to interesting new findings, providing the potential for genuine discovery.
Dayton Dove, BGS Marine Geoscientist.
The maps are available from BGS under the fine-scale maps section of the Offshore GeoIndex and are designed to be viewed at 1:10 000 scale, or offline as downloadable shapefiles.
Other areas to be added as the mapping programme progresses include offshore Orkney, East Anglia, and further areas of offshore Wales.
Other maps in this series:
Relative topics
Related news

Why do we store geological core?
11/09/2025
With space at a premium and the advance of new digitisation techniques, why does retaining over 600 km of physical specimens remain of national importance?

PhD adventures in the Philippines: coring around Lake Bulusan
05/09/2025
Chris Bengt recounts his two-week field trip to Bulusan Volcano Natural Park in the Philippines to collect lake sediment cores, fresh soil and water samples.

New seabed sediment maps reveal what lies beneath the waves
03/09/2025
Marine ecosystem science and offshore infrastructure will be boosted by a new dataset showing sediment composition across the UK continental shelf.

New geological ‘pathways’ discovered beneath Welsh capital
02/09/2025
Scientists have discovered cavities in the clay underneath Cardiff, which will influence the siting of future geothermal developments.

Seabed sediments 250K
The 1:250 000-scale offshore geological maps for seabed sediments are available digitally.

Offshore bedrock 250K
The 1:250 000-scale offshore geological map for bedrock geology (BGS Geology: marine bedrock 250k) is available digitally.

BGS artificial ground data: what do you need from a geological survey?
28/08/2025
BGS is seeking user feedback on artificial ground data: how you use it, what information you consider, and what we can do to improve our offering.

New research published on brownfield land
27/08/2025
National Brownfield Forum research on the interactions of policies affecting the planning and development of brownfield land has been published.

Join our consortium – de-risking underground thermal energy storage
25/08/2025
BGS is inviting interested parties to investigate how site-scale geological data can be used to optimise thermal storage scheme performance.

Dr Kathryn Goodenough appointed as honorary professor by the University of Aberdeen
25/08/2025
Dr Goodenough will take up the position within the School of Geosciences with a focus on critical minerals and the energy transition.

Gemini: a new stable isotope tool
21/08/2025
BGS’s Stable Isotope Facility has new mass spectrometer equipment for analysing carbon and oxygen isotopes from carbonates and water.