dataset · United Kingdom
Quaternary deposits thickness across the UK Continental Shelf (2014 Version)
The Quaternary deposits thickness dataset is a digital geological map across the bulk of the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS), for areas up to a water depth of 200m, which shows the thickness of the deposits over bedrock in three categories: <5 m, 5 - 50 m, and >50 m Quaternary cover. These depth bands were picked because they represent the horizons that have impact on offshore infrastructure deployment. The map is derived from (unpublished) BGS 1:1000000 scale Quaternary digital geological mapping.
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Licence: ["The copyright of materials derived from the British Geological Survey's work is vested in the Natural Environment Research Council [NERC]. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in an
Evidence quality: 36.9
Listed in data.gov.uk public catalogue API on 2026-10-16; relevance/value screened (haiku).
Metadata checked: 2026-10-14T13:20:00.000Z
What's in it
- Data offered docs-verified
- Quaternary deposit thickness over bedrock (categorical map) · Class: <5 m cover · Class: 5 - 50 m cover · Class: >50 m cover
- Coverage docs-verified
- UK Continental Shelf (bulk of), water depth up to 200 m; extent 48.18°N to 61.82°N, 9.60°W to 3.40°E · Single snapshot, reference date 2014-03-31 (creation and publication)
- Resolution docs-verified
- Derived from 1:1,000,000-scale mapping (a map scale, not a stated pixel or positional resolution)
- Update frequency docs-verified
- Not planned (no further updates scheduled); data reference date 2014-03-31
- Formats docs-verified
- ESRI Shapefile
- Access docs-verified
- Licence not set on dataset page. Copyright vested in NERC (BGS). Reproduction or transmission requires prior permission of the copyright holder. Use at own risk, no warranty given.
Useful for
- Use cases llm-inferred
- Offshore cable or pipeline route screening using Quaternary cover thickness classes · Regional seabed geological constraints for offshore infrastructure options appraisal · Desk-based context for UKCS marine energy or offshore civils feasibility studies
- Audience llm-inferred
- geotechnical engineers · marine and offshore engineers · engineering geologists · GIS analysts
Limitations
- Constraints llm-inferred
- Static 2014 dataset with no planned updates · Covers only the bulk of the UKCS to 200 m water depth; no land or deeper-water coverage · Derived from 1:1,000,000-scale mapping, too coarse for site-specific assessment · Underlying mapping is unpublished; no separate source data is available · Three coarse thickness classes only, with no continuous thickness values · Restricted reuse: NERC copyright and licence not set on the dataset page · Shapefile only; no API or MCP access stated
Evidence
- https://doi.org/10.5285/0cc60652-c02c-4931-b5bf-def9299b68f2
- https://www.data.gov.uk/dataset/fe94f8c6-da2a-471f-85cb-6030e079472a/quaternary-deposits-thickness-across-the-uk-continental-shelf-2014-version
Check upstream coverage, uncertainty and licence before use. Station observations are not forecasts or design levels.