EIR2026/00604: Historic Onshore Well Records and Archive Collections (BGS Ref - IDA 310328)
Case reference EIR2026/00604
Received 16 July 2026
Published 13 August 2026
Request
Request Received: 16 July 2026
The North Sea Transition Authority recently advised me that "BGS will hold a lot of the files previously held by other Data Release Agents" in relation to historic UK onshore well records.
Can you there please provide the following information:
1) Details of any archive collections, datasets or records transferred to BGS from the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA), North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA), Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), or former Data Release Agents relating to UK onshore oil and gas wells.
2) Confirmation on whether these libraries include any of the following:
- well reports;
- hydraulic fracturing records;
- Field Development Plans;
- microfiche archives;
- and any catalogues, indices or metadata relating to these records.
3) The approximate dates on which any such records were transferred to BGS and, where available, from which organisation.
4) Confirmation whether these records remain available for public inspection or access, and if so, how they may be searched or accessed.
5) And finally, confirmation whether BGS holds any catalogue, index or database identifying wells that underwent hydraulic fracturing or other well stimulation operations.
Note my request is only about the existence and scope of archive libraries rather than the contents of files.
Response
Response Sent: 13 August 2026
Full details of this response are available in the attached document.
Documents
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