Rock archive flit branded 'nonsensical'

Irene Gunner, who recently had her contract extended by the BGS to oversee the move, has decided to retire early after branding the draft proposal for the move "nonsensical".

The news comes after a Scottish Parliament debate, hosted by Lib Dem MSP for Edinburgh South Mike Pringle, on the BGS's proposals to relocate the National Offshore Oil and Gas Core Storage facility from Gilmerton to Keyworth in Nottinghamshire.

Scientists and the oil industry have warned that the unique collection of hundreds of thousands of rocks up to 400 million years old is too fragile to be moved.

In an e-mail to one of the campaigners leading the protest, Ms Gunner – operations administration supervisor for BGS – wrote: "I had been told that I would have some input into any plans, but that hasn't happened.

"A couple of days ago I was given a copy of a draft proposal of procedures for the move, written by my line manager, who is in charge of collections at Keyworth, and I am very unhappy as to the methods and timings put forward – they're nonsensical!"

John Underhill, Professor of Seismic and Sequence Stratigraphy at Edinburgh University, said the BGS's draft proposals allow just one minute to move a core rock and photograph and repackage it, as well as load it on to a lorry, with each core measuring around one metre long.

Professor Underhill said: "Even if they took five minutes for each core, which is still unrealistic, it would take seven and a half years to move them all, but the BGS say they can do it in 18 months."

The collection, worth an estimated 5 billion, has been gathered over the past four decades by the oil industry as they drill deep into the seabed.

Commenting on Ms Gunner's decision to retire on 18 June, Mr Pringle said: "This retiral is yet another sign, as if any were needed, that the British Geological Survey are making a massive mistake by trying to push ahead with this move. One key issue is whether these cores can be properly protected in any move, they are extremely fragile and have been stored without any provision for a future move. The costs of transporting the cores is also prohibitively high – more than 4 million, according to an industry leading company.

"A move could put the very existence of the archive at risk."

Britain's entire collection – some 175,000 boxes of core rock – is currently stored at the Gilmerton facility. The BGS looks after the collection on behalf of the Department for Energy and Climate Change.

A spokeswoman for the BGS said: "BGS's decision is based on a sound business and science case. The relocation of the cores to a purpose-built facility in Nottingham is the best way to guarantee the future accessibility of the collections, in perpetuity, for the benefit of industry and academia alike.

"Irene Gunner has offered a personal view which is not shared by BGS and NERC management."

CORE VALUES

Extracts from Irene Gunner's e-mail to one of the campaigners leading the protest against the proposals to move the national core rock archive from Gilmerton, to Keyworth in Nottinghamshire:

"As you know, I've been unhappy about the way things are panning out re the 'move' and have been considering my options here for some weeks.

"I had been told that I would have some input into any plans, but that hasn't happened. A couple of days ago I was given a copy of a draft proposal of procedures for the move...and I am very unhappy as to the methods and timings put forward - they're nonsensical!

"Hopefully all this nonsense can be stopped somehow. I still have hope. If it does go ahead I have no hope for the state of the core on being moved by temps!

I hope my decision doesn't hamper any efforts on your part to stop the move - maybe you could actually use it to your advantage? I will continue to fight the fight with you and offer any assistance I can.

I think however it is time for me to be put to pasture!"