A new seismic hazard model and maps for the UK offshore Exclusive Economic Zone update the 2002 maps. The model uses a Monte Carlo-based probabilistic analysis, a logic tree approach for uncertainty, and calculates hazard at 4,585 grid points for multiple return periods. It was developed to support offshore decarbonization projects like carbon capture and storage.
Use Cases
- Assess seismic risk for offshore infrastructure based on probabilistic hazard maps for peak ground acceleration and spectral acceleration.
- Inform regulatory decisions for safe offshore operations based on hazard curves and uniform hazard spectra.
- Establish a tectonic seismic baseline to help discriminate induced seismicity from operations like CCS.
- Identify areas requiring further site-specific studies based on modeled hazard zones and return periods.
Strengths
- Model incorporates epistemic uncertainty through four seismic source zone models and a logic tree approach.
- Hazard calculated at 4,585 individual grid points spaced at 0.125° latitude and 0.25° longitude.
- First time maps for short (0.2 s) and long period (1.0 s) spectral acceleration have been produced for UK waters.
- Includes specific analysis for three offshore carbon capture and storage sites: Endurance, Acorn, and HyNet North West.
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
- Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
Provenance
- Source
- Government Digital Service
- Collection Method
- Developed by combining existing earthquake catalogues and data from regional and local monitoring agencies, using a Monte Carlo-based probabilistic seismic hazard analysis.
- Geography
- UK offshore Exclusive Economic Zone