The Western Frontiers Association — Evaluating seabed conditions west of the UK

A joint industry group was established in 1995 by the British Geological Survey (BGS) to investigate seabed conditions and evaluate the shallow geology west of the UK. This has allowed an extension to BGSʹs marine mapping programme focusing on the needs of the users of the seabed. This group is known as the Western Frontiers Association (WFA) and currently comprises 14 oil companies. Also within the group and acting as a focus of activity is the Health and Safety Executive (Offshore Safety Division) (HSE (OSD)). The WFA group was developed following a study by BGS, for HSE (OSD), two years earlier which illustrated that ground conditions to the west of Britain, identified on BGSʹs regional studies, were more varied and processes and hazards were less well understood compared with the North Sea. oup was set up to consider the shallow geology of the whole area west of the UK mainland and focused initially on the area west of Shetland including, and extending beyond the licensed area. Following the 17th round of licensing the WFA area of focus has extended to include the Rockall Trough and UK waters north of 61° 40′N. The group has commissioned a wide range of studies to assess hazards such as shallow gas, slope stability and methane hydrates. Occasionally, small area studies have been undertaken to examine a hazard in detail where the results can be extrapolated regionally. Data acquisition has been undertaken on a regional basis and these surveys compliment studies acquired by the commercial site survey service industry. Outputs have been in the form of reports, maps and databases supported by software developments.