BGS GeoRecords provides access to the National Geoscience Data Centre archive of over nine million items.

Users can search BGS datasets and navigate the map based GeoIndex (onshore) which holds a wealth of information collected by BGS or obtained from other sources. Data can be accessed freely from the website if available or through submitting a request to enquiries@bgs.ac.uk. The Enquiry Team will check availability and provide a quotation to supply for approval.

Popular collections include Borehole Records, Water wells, Coal Authority Data (open-cast, deep mine), Non-Coal Mine Plans, Site Investigation Reports.

Improvements to Borehole Access

BGS have improved accessibility to borehole scans by generating multi-page PDF files that provide the data in a more efficient way, with no limitation on size. This has enabled BGS to retire the GeoRecords borehole ordering system as all boreholes (unless confidential/restricted) are now available using the GeoIndex borehole data layer .

Scanned records are free to view, print or download under the Open Government Licence directly from our website.

Confidential/restricted access boreholes

A small percentage of the borehole records we hold are confidential. We can display the location and name of these boreholes, but permission to release the data must be sought from the owners before we can supply more detailed information. If you identify a restricted access borehole that you would like to access, please email enquiries@bgs.ac.uk with the borehole reference number/name, for us to investigate ownership.

Note: Releasing confidential data can take significant time as the process involves third parties and may not always be successful. BGS will endeavour to facilitate the release of borehole records wherever possible. Cost recovery charges may be applied for this service, depending on the volume of boreholes involved or complexity of establishing current ownership, of which you will be advised before we proceed with the investigation.

Once ownership is established, you need to make contact with the owners, seeking permission to change the confidential borehole status to ‘open’, enabling free access on the BGS website. Alternatively, permission might only be given to release the record to the organisation contacting them. In which case, cost recovery charges will be applied when supplying pdf borehole scans directly to the organisation, of which you will be advised.

Further information

The historical records held by the BGS date back to the 18th Century. During the intervening period the meaning of some words and/or descriptive terms has changed. In rare instances some historic records contain words once used commonly that might now cause offence. BGS policy is to provide the records in their original state without amendment or excision of content. This policy is consistent with that of The National Archives.

For further queries, please contact:

BGS Enquiry Service

Tel: 0115 9363100

Email: enquiries@bgs.ac.uk