Legacy and international reputation

The BGS and HWU share a long and successful history of joined research, both fundamental and applied, with major achievements in energy, water, and environmental and ecosystem research, as well as engineering and technology advancement. Firmly bedded in a strong national and international network of academic and non-academic partners, the BGS-HWU partnership has worked closely with its funders, in particular RCUK and EU research programmes, to develop relevant solutions to demanding challenges in marine, earth and ecosystem sciences.

The list of successful projects shared between both partners is long and diverse. Flagship programs include:

• innovative postgraduate teaching and research programs (NERC Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Oil and Gas)
• marine environmental and ecosystem assessment (Horizon 2020 — ATLAS: A Trans-Atlantic assessment and deep-water ecosystem-based spatial management plan for Europe)
• deep-time scientific drilling (IODP)
• global leadership in water management and energy

Joint programs include, but are not limited to

• Scottish Carbon Capture and Storage (SCCS)
• other highly influential partnerships with governmental institutions (e.g. Marine Scotland, Scottish National Heritage (SNH), the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO), the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and SEPA)
• the petroleum industry (Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) and the 21st Century Exploration Roadmap Palaeozoic Project (comprising 40+ companies plus OGA and Oil and Gas UK))

For more than three decades, the IPE and the BGS have maintained strong links with the UK Government (and now through the OGA) by providing impartial geological and geophysical advice in support of their goal to 'maximise the economic recovery of UK petroleum'. These specialised skills have enabled us to offer similar support to governments and industry consortia around the world, hand-in-hand with strengthening our scientific understanding of basins and their petroleum systems. We have also shared our expertise and background in petroleum licensing and the evaluation of undiscovered reserves to promote exploration worldwide.

Closely linked to this competence and success we are also particularly proud of the more recent >£10 m NERC CDT program, which developed into a leading example of RCUK support for doctoral provision in an area of significant importance to the Scottish and UK economies. This integrated and highly innovative program would not have been possible without the financial engagement from NERC, the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), and the petroleum industry, as well as the strong support from the Scottish Government.

The quality and impact of this synergetic work has been recognised in multiple ways by individuals, groups, institutes and partnerships. The prestigious Queen's Anniversary Prize, awarded in 2015 for the sustained pioneering work of the IPE in innovation and research excellence, is just one impressive example demonstrating our work's national and international high standing.