The Geology, Hydrogeology and Coastal Geology Unit (UGHGC) ensures permanent state functions in the development of the knowledge of the geological and hydrogeological infrastructure of the national territory, including the coastal zone, the continental shelf and the deep water zones. Also, contributes to the exploration and valorization of endogenous resources, the prevention and mitigation of geological risks, and to environment and land-use planning, being its responsibility to:

• Carry out the systematic geological and hydrogeological cartography at the various official scales and thematic charts of recognized interest and respective explanatory notes;
• Perform research necessary to characterize the geological units, in all their aspects, namely lithostratigraphic, geochemical, structural and geodynamic, in order to highlight their socioeconomic potentialities and risks;
• Conduct research necessary for the characterization, systematic inventorying, evaluation and enhancement of the groundwater resources of the national territory;
• Conduct research for the geological characterization and knowledge of the processes of evolution of the coastal zone, providing specific geological knowledge for integration in holistic visions of the phenomena that occur in this territorial zone of great vulnerability;
• Carry out specific geological and hydrogeological studies that are fundamental to the planning of the territory, to the exploration and exploitation of geothermal resources of low and high enthalpy, to the location of infrastructures, to geological storage, to geological hazards, to environmental preservation and to geocultural heritage, in national and international RD&T and Service providing projects;
• Execute geological and hydrogeological thematic cartography;
• Support the State and public policies in the areas of geology and hydrogeology, in issues involving the competitiveness of the national territory in face of the different uses;
• Edit the annual journal Geological Communications (peer review, online on various platforms), on analog and digital forms, and publish the geoscientific information produced;
• Cooperate with Universities and geological institutions, RD&T networks and national and international working groups, in particular with CPLP countries;
• Perform advanced training in the fields of geology and hydrogeology.