en.Wedoany.com Reported - The British Geological Survey (BGS) has released the final borehole data packages obtained during the construction of the UK's Cheshire Geothermal Observatory, along with a comprehensive drilling report. The project aims to provide high-resolution physical property and geochemical measurement data for the rocks penetrated by the observatory's boreholes.
This new data release focuses on the Sherwood Sandstone Formation, a major aquifer and reservoir unit that has attracted interest from developers of low-carbon underground technologies such as geothermal energy, carbon dioxide storage, and energy storage. BGS states that this information is valuable for improving understanding of the geology and hydrogeology of this formation at a large-scale test site.
As part of the project, a total of 17 new borehole data packages have been released, in addition to three data packages released in 2025, a ground survey dataset released in 2023, and a core scanning dataset released in 2022. All datasets are available for free download from the UK Geothermal Observatory website. The release of these packages marks the completion of all data releases from the capital phase of the project.
In addition to the datasets, BGS has also released a drilling report detailing the construction process of the observatory. The report describes novel construction techniques, decision-making processes during drilling, and the practical challenges encountered when installing multiple closely spaced complex boreholes. BGS states that these lessons learned will inform future subsurface science and engineering projects.
The Cheshire facility, which opened in 2024, is one of the UK's Geothermal Observatories, designed to provide subsurface data to support the development of clean energy technologies. The observatory was constructed by contractor Aecom, with drilling services provided by Marriott. BGS notes that the project involved over 200 scientists and engineers, and an external scientific advisory group also contributed to the delivery of the observatory.
The observatory is open to the UK scientific community for research, innovation, and training. BGS has invited proposals from any source, including industry and non-UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding. Mike Spence, Science and Operations Lead for the BGS Cheshire Observatory, expressed delight in announcing the release of the drilling report and borehole data packages, which will provide a unique resource for scientists studying the geology and hydrogeology of the Sherwood Sandstone Formation—a formation well-suited for geothermal energy development in the UK—ensuring that this valuable information can be used for future subsurface science and engineering.
