SEA4: Hydrocarbon Analysis Results from North UK Continental Shelf Seabed Survey

The UK Department of Trade and Industry's Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA4) program undertook a seabed survey north of Shetland in July/August 2002. This report from the Government Digital Service summarises sediment total hydrocarbon and aromatic data from the analysis of select samples collected during that survey. The dataset likely contains quantitative results from laboratory analyses of the collected sediment samples.

Use Cases

• Assessing baseline hydrocarbon contamination in marine sediments based on the reported total hydrocarbon data.
• Modeling the distribution of aromatic compounds in a specific offshore region based on the survey's spatial sampling.
• Comparing historical seabed pollution levels from 2002 with more recent environmental monitoring data.
• Supporting strategic environmental assessments for offshore oil and gas licensing based on the sectorial SEA framework mentioned.

Strengths

• Data originates from a government-led strategic environmental assessment program, suggesting an official source.
• Focuses on specific, measurable contaminants: total hydrocarbons and aromatic compounds.
• Geographic scope is clearly defined as the UK Continental Shelf area north of Shetland.

Limitations

• Row count and dataset scale are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Provenance

Source

UK Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Government Digital Service.

Collection Method

Laboratory analysis of sediment samples collected during a seabed survey from MV Kommandor Jack.

Time Range

Survey conducted July/August 2002.

Freshness

Data collection occurred in 2002; the report's publication and last update dates are unknown.

Geography

UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) areas to the north of Shetland.