UK Geothermal Digital Working Group UK Geothermal Data Catalogue

By project stage

What data a project needs at each stage, and what the catalogue actually holds against it. The stage axis comes from the working group's DRAFT 001 matrix dated 2026-09-09. It is a draft, and this is a first pass against it.

A record is tagged at the stages where the matrix names the data it holds, and nowhere else. A record can carry several stages because the matrix itself names the same data in several cells. Well logs appear in four.

Every tag traces back to a named matrix item, so a disagreement is about a cell you can point at rather than about a judgement made here.

Records by stage

Catalogue records available at each project stage
StagePhaseRecords Resource & SubsurfaceDemand & Heat UsersInfrastructure & NetworksConstraints, Regulation & ConsentingProjects, Performance & EconomicsUnassigned
Strategic Definition
Is there a geothermal resource worth investigating?
 Explore 178 1262218615
Initial Feasibility
Which resource target and location provide the best opportunity?
 Explore 134 85374404
Exploration Well Drilling
Does the resource encountered match the predictions?
 Explore 17 1400210
Assess
Is the resource suitable for the energy needs?
 Assess 178 883938823
Select
What is the most suitable subsurface development?
 Select 86 02345801
Define
What is the most suitable design of development wells?
 Define 58 0005800
Execute
Can the project run as expected, and be handed over to operation?
 Execute 16 1400200
Operate
Is the resource performing as expected?
 Operate 44 3304223

A record appears at every stage it serves, so these do not sum to 352. 56 records are not yet mapped to any stage.

What the matrix asks for, and what exists

Each row is a data item the matrix names. Existing means a catalogue can point you at it today. Acquired means the project goes and measures it, so no national catalogue can supply it. A count of zero against an existing item is a gap worth acting on.

Matrix data items and catalogue coverage
Data itemDomainKindNamed at RecordsExamples
Geological maps subsurface Existing Strategic Definition 39 BGS ArcGIS Open Data Hub (DCAT-US feed); BGS ArcGIS Server service estate (map.bgs.ac.uk); BGS OGC API Features (BETA); BGS OGC WFS / WMS services (ogc.bgs.ac.uk, ogc2.bgs.ac.uk)
Regional seismic data subsurface Existing Strategic Definition 10 UK Onshore Geophysical Library (UKOGL); UK Onshore Geophysical Library wells; British Geological Survey 2D seismic; Mining Remediation Authority 2D seismic
Gravity data
Acquiring this creates existing data for the next project, if it is deposited somewhere discoverable.
 subsurface Existing Strategic Definition, Initial Feasibility 4 Geothermal energy potential in Northern Ireland: summary and recommendations for the Geothermal Advisory Committee; GSNI GeoIndex Northern Ireland Combined Gravity Surveys; Tellus South West airborne geophysical survey; UKOGL seismic navigation shapefiles (2D and 3D)
Well logs
Acquiring this creates existing data for the next project, if it is deposited somewhere discoverable.
 subsurface Existing Strategic Definition, Exploration Well Drilling, Assess, Execute 15 BGS Metadata Catalogue (GeoNetwork 4); BGS NGDC deposited data (accessions) search; data.gov.uk (CKAN) - cross-cutting discovery; GB Single Onshore Borehole Index (SOBI)
Core or outcrop
Acquiring this creates existing data for the next project, if it is deposited somewhere discoverable.
 subsurface Existing Strategic Definition, Exploration Well Drilling, Assess 2 BGS NGDC deposited data (accessions) search; NERC National Geoscience Data Centre (NGDC) - deposited data / accessions
Water samples
Acquiring this creates existing data for the next project, if it is deposited somewhere discoverable.
 subsurface Existing Strategic Definition, Exploration Well Drilling, Assess, Execute 2 GB Single Onshore Borehole Index (SOBI); NIEA WFD Water Bodies (INSPIRE View Service) and Catchment Data Map Viewer
Dynamic test (open loop)
Acquiring this creates existing data for the next project, if it is deposited somewhere discoverable.
 subsurface Existing Strategic Definition, Exploration Well Drilling, Assess, Execute 0
2D/3D seismic data
Acquiring this creates existing data for the next project, if it is deposited somewhere discoverable.
 subsurface Acquired Initial Feasibility 3 Mining Remediation Authority 3D seismic; UK Onshore Geophysical Library 3D seismic; UKOGL seismic navigation shapefiles (2D and 3D)
Production data
Acquiring this creates existing data for the next project, if it is deposited somewhere discoverable.
 subsurface Acquired Operate 5 BGS Sensor Data Service - UKGEOS monitoring time series (OGC SensorThings); Cardiff Urban Geo-Observatory groundwater temperature data 2014-2018; NERC National Geoscience Data Centre (NGDC) - deposited data / accessions; NGDC Cited Data Catalogue (DOI-assigned datasets)
Fluid sampling
Acquiring this creates existing data for the next project, if it is deposited somewhere discoverable.
 subsurface Acquired Operate 1 Cardiff Urban Geo-Observatory groundwater temperature data 2014-2018
Monitoring of seismicity (downhole and surface)
Acquiring this creates existing data for the next project, if it is deposited somewhere discoverable.
 subsurface Acquired Operate 0
Annual energy consumption surface Existing Strategic Definition, Select, Operate 24 Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES); Electricity Consumption and Renewable Generation in Northern Ireland; Energy Consumption in the UK (ECUK); Energy Generation and Use in Wales
Ordnance Survey and topographical surveys surface Existing Strategic Definition 20 AddressBase Premium / AddressBase Plus; Boundary-Line; Code-Point Open; National Underground Asset Register (NUAR)
Site photogrammetry surface Existing Strategic Definition, Initial Feasibility 3 EA National LIDAR Programme - Composite DTM and DSM; OS Terrain 50; Welsh Government LiDAR (DTM/DSM) and tile catalogue 2020-2023
Annual energy consumption (half hour meter data) surface Existing Initial Feasibility, Select, Operate 4 Elexon Insights Solution (BMRS) API; NESO Historic Demand Data; Smart Energy Research Lab (SERL) Observatory; Smart meter statistics (quarterly and annual)
Load profile surface Existing Initial Feasibility, Assess, Operate 10 London Heat Map and GLA heat datasets; National Energy Efficiency Data-Framework (NEED): anonymised dataset; National Energy Efficiency Data-Framework (NEED): LA and summary tables; NESO Building Heat Model
Building specification surface Existing Initial Feasibility, Assess 21 BEIS/DESNZ Electrification of Heat (EoH) demonstration project dataset; Census 2021 TS044 Accommodation type and TS007/TS017 household composition and size; Census 2021 TS046 - Type of central heating in household; Energy Consumption in the UK (ECUK)
Future energy needs surface Existing Initial Feasibility, Assess, Operate 12 DataMapWales - Policy 16 District Heat Network Priority Areas; Energy Systems Catapult - Net Zero Data (and LAEP+); Heat Network Zoning: government response (2026) and draft Statutory Instrument; Heat Network Zoning (HNZ) - indicative zone maps
Detailed site and building specifications surface Acquired if needed Assess 8 EPC - Non-Domestic and Display Energy Certificates (DECs); National Underground Asset Register (NUAR); Net Zero Data - Building retrofit locations; Non-domestic National Energy Efficiency Data-Framework (ND-NEED)
Description of adjacent buildings and projects surface Acquired if needed Assess 49 Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) statistics; Boiler Upgrade Scheme - Ofgem public reports and annual report; Boiler Upgrade Scheme statistics (DESNZ monthly); DataMapWales - Policy 16 District Heat Network Priority Areas
Tests of energy systems
Acquiring this creates existing data for the next project, if it is deposited somewhere discoverable.
 surface Acquired Execute 0
Temperature, heat flow and thermal properties
Not a matrix item. Added as a question for the matrix owner, because the stage outcomes depend on this data but no data row lists it.
 subsurface Existing Not named 82 BGS Open-loop Ground Source Heat Pump viability screening map (England and Wales); BGS Open-loop GSHP screening tool and methodology; BGS Sensor Data Service - UKGEOS monitoring time series (OGC SensorThings); BGS UK Digital Geothermal Catalogue, Version 2
Resource assessment and potential models
Not a matrix item. Added as a question for the matrix owner, because the stage outcomes depend on this data but no data row lists it.
 subsurface Existing Not named 21 BGS Open-loop Ground Source Heat Pump viability screening map (England and Wales); BGS Open-loop GSHP screening tool and methodology; Green Heat in Greenspaces (GHiGs) - Scotland; Mine Water Geothermal Resource Atlas for Scotland
Constraints, regulation and consenting data
Not a matrix item. Added as a question for the matrix owner, because the stage outcomes depend on this data but no data row lists it.
 surface Existing Not named 58 Abstraction Licensing Strategy (CAMS) boundaries and water resource availability; Aquifer Designation Dataset for England and Wales; Aquifer Designation Dataset for Wales version 2; British Geological Survey open datasets (surface-relevant subset)