The BGS operates the National Geoscience Data Centre as the national collection of geoscientific information. They will create the NHDA to accommodate the geoscientific legacy from UK offshore oil and gas exploration and production activity.
What is The National Hydrocarbons Data Archive?
The
National Hydrocarbons Data Archive (NHDA) is a new PILOT initiative
to help:
- reduce costs
- remove perpetual licence obligations, and
- increase data availability for future exploration.
UK legislation requires all licensees in the UKCS to store most data in perpetuity (excluding cores and cuttings), even after licence relinquishment or sale or trade. DBERR (formerly DTI) can request copies of the data, which should be provided in a modern format, at anytime. Requests for data by DBERR have been limited, but a greater number of requests to support the DTI Promote UKCS project to increase exploration and development are predicted. Obligations are borne jointly and severally by all parties to a licence and not by the operator of that licence alone. The NHDA will take on the obligation and store a subset of data for the long-term benefit of the nation.
How will the NHDA operate?
The British Geological Survey operates the National Geoscience Data Centre as the national collection of geoscientific information. The BGS will extend its existing facilities to create the NHDA to accommodate the geoscientific legacy from UK offshore oil and gas exploration and production activity. The model includes options for licensees to transfer data to the NHDA at agreed events (for example at the time of licence relinquishment or at COP). Provision of a defined set of data to the NHDA will earn licensees permanent relief from their obligation to manage and maintain this data in perpetuity in return for an ‘endowment’ fee.
Although relief of obligation is granted for licences and licence data, the procedure will be flexible to allow partial relief of individual datasets that may be associated with more than one licence, such as regional seismic surveys, potential field data etc.
Data will be selected in conjunction with the operator to provide a record of exploration and development, such that future exploration and redevelopment activities, for hydrocarbons, CO2 sequestration, geothermal energy, or other geoscientific or commercial activities will be able to build on a summary of existing information.
The decision to archive is principally economic and would be taken collectively by all partners in a Licence Group. Once in the NHDA, data will be made available at low cost to the public, with a catalogue of data available through DEAL.
Document downloads:
- Data types (46kb, pdf)
- Final NHDA handbook (2.88mb, pdf)
NHDA 2005
- Link to the NHDA 2005 page
Sponsors
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 |
 |
 |
 |
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| Malcolm Fleming | Colin Graham | Phil Harrison |
|---|---|---|
| CDA Ltd Second Floor 242 Vauxhall Bridge Rd London SW1V 1AU |
British Geological Survey Murchison House West Mains Road Edinburgh EH9 3LA |
DBERR Energy Resources Development Unit Bay 2133 1 Victoria Street London SW1H 0ET |
| Tel 0207 802 2435 | Tel 0131 667 1000 | Tel 020 7215 5244 |
| mfleming@cdal.com | phil.harrison@berr.gsi.gov.uk |
