Shell will use the data to support and manage exploration and production activities in the UK continental shelf. According to Dr Mike Osborne, Manager of Metoc's Informatics Business Group, the data is being supplied under the SeaZone service, a collaborative venture with the UK Hydrographic Office launched in June as part of the UKHO's licensed partnering initiative.

The data that Metoc will deliver to Shell includes definitive and complete wreck and seabed obstruction data for the European continental shelf as well as military practice and exercise areas for UK waters. It has been converted from the UKHO's internal formats to a GIS-friendly module that Shell can load easily on to its spatially-enabled Oracle database. Updates to the data will be provided on a quarterly basis.