UK Geothermal Potential Models for Sherwood Sandstone Aquifers

British Geological Survey legacy models estimate the theoretical geothermal potential of hot sedimentary aquifers in the Sherwood Sandstone Group across four UK basins. The vector contour dataset provides identified resources in GJ/m² and recoverable heat in MW/km² at a 100-meter resolution for temperatures above 40°C. This data is derived from the 1995 Atlas of Geothermal Resources in Europe and updated for methodological consistency with a 2023 study.

Use Cases

• Mapping geothermal resource distribution based on vector contour data.
• Estimating recoverable heat potential for specific UK basins based on the theoretical potential calculations.
• Comparing legacy geothermal models with modern estimations using the converted MW/km² values.

Strengths

• Provides data at a 100-meter spatial resolution.
• Includes converted values for methodological equivalence with a 2023 study.
• Covers four specific UK geological basins: Cheshire, Worcester, Wessex, and East Yorkshire Lincolnshire.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to the specific UK basins studied.

Provenance

Source

British Geological Survey (BGS)

Collection Method

Derived from the 1995 Atlas of Geothermal Resources in Europe and the European Geothermal Atlas.

Time Range

The underlying source data is from 1995, with updates for methodological consistency.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-09 08:26:07.989570; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Permo-Triassic Cheshire, Worcester, Wessex, and East Yorkshire Lincolnshire Basins in the UK.