The British Geological Survey
The British Geological Survey is the UK's national geological survey and a public-sector research organisation under UKRI/NERC, founded in 1835. It delivers authoritative geoscientific data, maps, models, and software to government, construction, insurance, water, and academic clients via free open-data portals and licensed premium products.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1835
- HeadquartersNottingham, United Kingdom
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The British Geological Survey does
The British Geological Survey (BGS), founded in 1835 as the Ordnance Geological Survey, is the UK's national geological survey and one of the oldest in the world. It operates as a public-sector research organisation under UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), with approximately 650 staff distributed across two principal sites at Keyworth, Nottingham and the Lyell Centre in Edinburgh. BGS's mission is to deliver objective, authoritative geoscientific data, information and knowledge to help society understand the Earth — spanning environmental change, decarbonisation, multi-hazards, digital geoscience, and national and international research.
BGS's core technology stack is a federated geoscience data platform. It maintains over 400 datasets including 1.4 million borehole records held in the National Geoscience Data Centre (accessed by 3,000+ users per month), a physical National Geological Repository of cores and specimens, and an archive of ~40,000 historical items. Public-facing products include OpenGeoscience (free maps, scans and downloads under Open Government Licence), the BGS Geology Viewer, GeoIndex Onshore/Offshore, and the UK Soil Observatory. Premium/licensed offerings include GeoCoast Premium (50m-scale coastal erosion and flood data covering 133 km² of high-susceptibility coastline and ~30,000 properties), the GeoClimate Shrink-Swell dataset (subsidence risk to 4.2 million UK homes under emissions pathways to 2070), the UK Geothermal Catalogue, and an Interactive Rare Earth Elements Map for offshore wind. Software tools include the AGS File Utilities (with a public Python API for AGS-format validation and Excel interop) and AquiMod groundwater modelling software. Research infrastructure includes the UK Geoenergy Observatories.
The business model blends government grant-in-aid from UKRI/NERC, competitive research grants (e.g., £567,720 from Material Focus's Circular Electricals Fund), commercial data licensing, paid GeoReports and online shop sales, and bespoke consultancy. Distribution is multi-channel: free self-serve open data globally; licensed premium data and GeoReports for UK enterprise; direct partnerships with government agencies (Flood Forecasting Centre, Environment Agency, Gateshead Council, Yorkshire Water), 40+ universities, and 150+ private-sector organisations. Customers span government and policy, business and construction (notably UK construction and insurance for ground-condition and subsidence risk), academics and researchers, and the general public.
The British Geological Survey firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The British Geological Survey
- Legal name
- British Geological Survey
- Website
- https://bgs.ac.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1835
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- The British Geological Survey is the UK's national geological survey and a public-sector research organisation under UKRI/NERC, founded in 1835. It delivers authoritative geoscientific data, maps, models, and software to government, construction, insurance, water, and academic clients via free open-data portals and licensed premium products.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The British Geological Survey industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Geoscience Research and Earth Science Data Services
- NAICS
- Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136), Support Activities for Mining (21311), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Oil & Gas Field Exploration Services (1382)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mineral Exploration & Geoscience Services (Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry, Resource Modeling) (IMAKAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Seismic & Geoscience Services (Acquisition, Processing, Interpretation) (EUALABAK), Geotechnical Investigation & Site Characterization (Boreholes, In-situ Testing, Lab Testing) (IMAFAOAG), Remote Sensing & Earth Observation Analytics (Satellite/UAV/LiDAR, Image Processing) (EUAHAKAD)
Keywords
Where The British Geological Survey is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nottingham
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
The British Geological Survey business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Government Funding: BGS is a UK government research organization under UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), receiving public funding for scientific research.
- Commercial Data Services: BGS generates revenue through licensed data products, GeoReports, online shop sales, and specialized data licensing to businesses and organizations.
- Research Grants: BGS receives project funding from various sources including government programs like the Circular Electricals Fund administered by Material Focus.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | OpenGeoscience - Free access to maps, borehole scans, and geological photos |
| Subscription | Annual | GeoCoast Premium - Licensed coastal data package |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
The British Geological Survey product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The British Geological Survey is the UK's national geological survey, providing authoritative geoscientific data, research, and services covering environmental change, decarbonisation, multi-hazards, digital geoscience, and national/international geoscience. Its offering spans free open-access web portals (OpenGeoscience, GeoIndex, Geology Viewer, UK Soil Observatory) hosting over 400 datasets and 1.4 million borehole records, alongside licensed premium datasets (GeoCoast Premium, GeoClimate Shrink-Swell), software tools (AGS File Utilities, AquiMod), physical specimen repositories, training services, and bespoke commissioned research for government, business, and academic clients.
Product overview
The British Geological Survey operates as the UK's national geological survey organization, providing a comprehensive suite of geoscientific data products, services, and platforms. The offering spans free web-based data access tools (OpenGeoscience, Geology Viewer, GeoIndex Onshore/Offshore, UK Soil Observatory) to licensed premium datasets (GeoCoast Premium). Key data products include the GeoClimate Shrink-Swell dataset for subsidence modeling, UK Geothermal Catalogue, and the National Geoscience Data Centre holding over 1.4 million borehole records. BGS also provides software tools including the AGS File Utilities Tool for geotechnical data validation and AquiMod for groundwater modeling. Educational offerings include Earthwise (digital publication platform), CheMUDstry Investigation (soil chemistry education kit), and BGS GeoSchool training services. Research infrastructure includes the UK Geoenergy Observatories. The organization maintains physical collections through the National Geological Repository.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- OpenGeoscience Free online service providing access to view maps, download data, scans, photos and other geological information from BGS, offering access to over a million borehole scans and the GeoScenic geological photo archive for general public, business, and academic users.
- BGS Geology Viewer Interactive online map viewer providing access to the geology of Britain for general public, businesses, researchers, and government users.
- GeoIndex (Onshore) Online map viewer providing access to BGS onshore geoscience data and borehole records for users across government, business, academia, and the public.
- GeoIndex (Offshore) Online map viewer providing access to BGS offshore geoscience data, used by marine and offshore industry, government, and researchers.
- UK Soil Observatory
Quantifiable outcome
- Less than 5% of 100,000 boreholes drilled annually in UK currently reach the National Geoscience Data Centre
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The British Geological Survey
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The British Geological Survey technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature6 records
The British Geological Survey partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Material FocuscoreBGS received £567,720 from Material Focus's Circular Electricals Fund as one of four recipients selected from 65 applications. BGS will work on reducing environmental impact of waste electrical and electronic equipment as part of the £1 million fund.
- Environment Agency and Yorkshire Water Services LimitedcoreCollaboration on five-year project to update geological maps of the Yorkshire Wolds, providing detailed information about the chalk aquifer that serves as primary drinking-water source for the region.
- Gateshead Council and Environment AgencycoreProject Groundwater Northumbria - BGS constructed 3D geological model of Gateshead's bedrock to help understand and mitigate groundwater flooding, funded through Environment Agency's Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme.
- OssiancoreIndustry-leading data sharing partnership allowing BGS to advance its knowledge of rock and soil conditions under the seabed.
- Natural History MuseumcoreResearch Partnership for the Future - Memorandum of Understanding reflecting shared history and setting roadmap for collaborative work between the two institutions.
- Heriot Watt University (Lyell Centre)coreJoint collaboration establishing Lyell Centre in Edinburgh - one of BGS's two main sites combining BGS and university research capabilities.
- Association of Geotechnical & Geoenvironmental Specialists (AGS)coreBGS is a member of AGS Data Format committee and has released AGS file utilities tool that complements AGS Validator, supporting industry efforts to standardise validation process.
- UK Universities (40+)coreClose links with 40+ UK universities for research collaboration, academic data access, and sponsorship of approximately 100 PhD students annually.
- Private Sector Organisations (150+)coreBGS works with more than 150 private sector organisations providing geological data services and commercial licensing arrangements.
- Flood Forecasting Centre (Environment Agency and Met Office)coreThree-year contract to deliver national-scale early warning system for groundwater flooding in England, informing daily flood guidance statements for emergency response community.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The British Geological Survey competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BRGM (Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières): BRGM is France's national geological survey and a public-sector research organisation providing subsurface data, groundwater management, geothermal, and mineral resource services. Like BGS, it combines a government mandate with commercial data licensing and is one of Europe's most operationally comparable national surveys.
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): The USGS is the United States' national geological survey, operating under the Department of the Interior with a comparable mandate to provide objective, authoritative geoscientific data, hazards monitoring, and mineral/energy resource assessments. It is the most direct functional peer to BGS given overlapping activities in geological mapping, geohazard monitoring, water resources, and mineral resource security.
- Geoscience Australia: Geoscience Australia is the Australian Government's applied geoscience agency, providing national geological mapping, mineral resource assessments, geohazard monitoring, and groundwater data. It mirrors BGS's mandate to deliver authoritative national geoscientific data and to support decarbonisation, critical minerals, and natural hazard policy.
- GEUS (Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland): GEUS is Denmark's national geological research institute, advising on subsurface resources, groundwater, energy storage, and minerals. Its combination of research mandate, energy-transition focus, and data-publishing function makes it a tightly comparable European national survey peer to BGS.
- Geological Survey of Canada (NRCan): Operated within Natural Resources Canada, the GSC delivers national geological mapping, mineral and energy resource assessments, and geohazard science. Its programme structure, federal-government positioning, and product portfolio (open data plus licensed products) closely resemble BGS's operating model.
- SGU (Geological Survey of Sweden): SGU is Sweden's national geological survey responsible for geological mapping, mineral resource information, groundwater, and soil data. Its Nordic government-mandate structure, open-data policies, and minerals/groundwater focus make it a close European functional peer to BGS.
- NGU (Geological Survey of Norway): NGU is Norway's national geological survey, providing mineral resources, geohazards, groundwater, and marine geology data. Its mandate structure, data licensing model, and combination of onshore/offshore coverage mirror BGS's UK focus on landmass and continental shelf.
- Geological Survey of Finland (GTK): GTK is Finland's national geoscience agency providing mineral resource, groundwater, and environmental geological data, with growing focus on critical minerals and battery materials. Its combination of government-mandated research and applied mineral/environmental data makes it a tight European peer to BGS's mineral resources and groundwater work.
Broad incumbents
- Fugro: Fugro is a Dutch-listed global geotechnical and geoscience services company providing site characterisation, seabed surveys, and asset integrity data. While commercially driven and broader than BGS, it overlaps significantly with BGS's geophysical survey, geotechnical, and offshore mapping activities, and represents the leading private-sector incumbent competing for the same customer budgets.
- CGG (Compagnie Générale de Géophysique): CGG is a global geoscience technology company providing seismic acquisition, subsurface imaging, and Earth data libraries. Its geoscience data products (e.g., multi-client seismic, GeoVerse) overlap with BGS's seismic and subsurface characterisation capabilities and represent the private-sector data incumbent competing for subsurface interpretation budgets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The British Geological Survey social profiles
Digital presenceThe British Geological Survey financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The British Geological Survey leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
The British Geological Survey funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The British Geological Survey M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The British Geological Survey
What does The British Geological Survey do?
The British Geological Survey is the UK's national geological survey, providing authoritative geoscientific data, research, and services covering environmental change, decarbonisation, multi-hazards, digital geoscience, and national/international geoscience. Its offering spans free open-access web portals (OpenGeoscience, GeoIndex, Geology Viewer, UK Soil Observatory) hosting over 400 datasets and 1.4 million borehole records, alongside licensed premium datasets (GeoCoast Premium, GeoClimate Shrink-Swell), software tools (AGS File Utilities, AquiMod), physical specimen repositories, training services, and bespoke commissioned research for government, business, and academic clients.
Is The British Geological Survey a public or private company?
The British Geological Survey is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was The British Geological Survey founded?
The British Geological Survey was founded in 1835. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is The British Geological Survey based?
The British Geological Survey is headquartered in Nottingham, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The British Geological Survey make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Government Funding is the primary driver. The others are commercial Data Services and research Grants.
Who are The British Geological Survey's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BRGM (Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Geoscience Australia, GEUS (Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland), Geological Survey of Canada (NRCan), SGU (Geological Survey of Sweden), NGU (Geological Survey of Norway) and Geological Survey of Finland (GTK). Broad incumbents are Fugro and CGG (Compagnie Générale de Géophysique).
Does The British Geological Survey have an API?
Yes. BGS offers a public API through the AGS file utilities tool (https://agsapi.bgs.ac.uk/) which allows programmatic validation of AGS files against official AGS data format rules (v4.x) and BGS data submission requirements, as well as conversion of AGS data format files to/from MS Excel format. The API accepts multiple AGS files up to a 50MB total size limit. API documentation is available at https://agsapi.bgs.ac.uk/docs. Additionally, BGS provides web services, web map services (WMS), and various software tools including AquiMod groundwater model software. Developer documentation is at agsapi.bgs.ac.uk/docs.
What industry is The British Geological Survey in?
The British Geological Survey's product category is Geoscience Research and Earth Science Data Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAKAKAA, Mineral Exploration & Geoscience Services (Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry, Resource Modeling), with a secondary code of EUALABAK, Seismic & Geoscience Services (Acquisition, Processing, Interpretation). Its NAICS code is 54136 and its SIC code is 8731.