Staff and Postgraduate Students

Prof Richard Davies, BSc, PhD, FGS

Dean of Knowledge Exchange and Impact & Director of Durham Energy Institute. in the Department of Earth Sciences

Telephone: 42346 or 49308

Room number: DBIS, Mountjoy and Arthur Holmes 007

Biography

BSc (Reading University), 1990;
PhD (Edinburgh) 1995
Posts Held:

2010-Present Professor of Energy and Director of Durham Energy Institute
2008-2009 Acting Director of Durham Energy Institute
2006-2009 Professor and Director of the Centre for Research into Earth Energy Systems (CeREES)
2003-2006 Senior Lecturer, Cardiff University, UK.
2001-2003 Senior Exploration Geologist, ExxonMobil – Houston, USA
1999-2002 Senior Exploration Geologist, ExxonMobil, London, UK
1995-1999 Geologist, Mobil, Aberdeen and London, UK.
1994-1995 Consultant Sedimentology Field Geologist, Venezuela
1986-1987 Trainee Mining Engineer, Anglo American, South Africa.

Career Research Highlights

Industry

Richard Davies spent 7 years in the petroleum industry in Aberdeen, London and Houston with ExxonMobil working on development and exploration projects. This included working on the Shearwater Field (North Sea), wildcat explorations wells west of Shetlands and deepwater Nigeria exploration.

Research

Richard Davies has spear headed the use of 3D seismic reflection data and visualisation in geoscience research, through publishing papers in highly regarded journals on a range of subjects as diverse as soft sediment deformation, igneous intrusions, silica diagenesis, continent-ocean fracture zones, petroleum geology and mud volcanism.

Energy

Richard Davies' main role at Durham University has been in building cross-department and cross faculty research research in energy. This started in the field of geo-energy (e.g. fossil fuels, carbon capture and storage) and more recently has been across a spectrum of energy research, with the development of Durham Energy Institute (DEI). Davies' remit has been to build DEI from concept to a fully functioning and high achieving energy institute which is Nationally and Internationally significant. This has included development and roll out of effective governance, raising internal and external profile, attracting significant new funding for posts, getting recognition in UK government and enabling and triggering new research opportunities.

Sicne 2008 DEI has undergone spectacular growth and now involves 107 researchers across 12 departments. Research income for 2010 was almost £9M. Highlights in 2010 were collaborating on winning a £54M grant on Low Carbon Networks (DEI lead - Phil Taylor); £1M funding from DONG Energy for a Prof of Renewable Energy and £0.6M from Eaga for a Prof of Low Carbon Communities. DEI works closely with UK Research Councils and the private sector. It was officially launched by the Rt. Hon. Chris Huhne, Secretary of State, Energy & Climate Change on 28th March 2011.

Committee and Society Service

1. 2004 - Present Chair of the NERC IODP industrial liaison panel
2. 2001-2002 Treasurer of Petroleum Group of the GSL
3. 2002 - Present, committee member of the Petroleum Group
4. Director of CeREES (from Jan 2006)

Conferences and workshops

1. 2001 - Lead convenor, conference on ‘3D seismic technology’, GSL
2. 2003 - Convenor Petroleum Geology Collaborative Research Conference, GSL
3. 2004 - Convenor of 6th Conference on Petroleum Geology of Northwest Europe and Global Perspectives GSL/PESGB/SPE
4. 2005 - Lead convenor, conference on ‘Seismic Geomorphology’ SEPM/GSL

Editorial Roles

1. Editorial Board of Basin Research
Chief Editor of;
2. 3D Seismic Technology: Application to the Exploration of Sedimentary Basins (GSL)
3. Seismic Geomorphology (in prep) GSL/SEPM)

Esteem

· Chair of UK IODP industrial liaison panel, (panel members - 15 geoscientists and engineers from the oil and gas industry) (2003 2006)

· Member of Energy Leadership Council for ONE Northeast (2008-Present)

· Coordinator RDA Innovative Geoenergy Group for NE England (2008-Present)

· Honorary Professor at Heriot Watt University (2009-Present).

· Member of the IIS-PPG (international industrial liaison panel for the IODP) (2007-2008)

· Member of the UK-IODP Steering Committee (2005-2006)

· Member of the Petroleum Group, Treasurer (2000-2001)

· Committee member of Petroleum Group of The Geological Society, London (2001-2007)

· Editor - Basin Research (2008-Present)

· Advisory Board for

· Lead and co-convener of several international conferences.

· Management committee of Leeds University VSA project (2003-Present)

· Sir Kingsley Dunham Memorial Lecture (2007)

· Aberconway Medal, Geological Society (2008)

· Advisor to University of Kashmir and Jammu (India) in setting up regional Energy Institute (2009)

· TV, radio and newspaper interviews on energy related themes.

Examples of Recent Media Interviews and Press Coverage

Al Jazeera, Series: People and Power. Programme : 'Indonesia's Muddy Justice'

Link:http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/peopleandpower/2009/06/2009617134123752754.html

Channel 4 News Discussing the cause of the Lusi mud volcano

BBC1 Bang Goes the Theory, (2010), Discussing how much oil is left.

Al Jazeera News

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6ypm24quhA

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/feb/14/lusi-volcano-scientists-blame-lapindo

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sci/tech/7699672.stm

'The Challenges of Deepwater Drilling. BBC Radio 4 'The Material World'. 13.05.2010.

Invited Keynotes

2003 Petroleum Geology Collaborative Research Conference (GSL)

Recent and Current Grants (Principle or Co-Investigator)

Antje Danielson	Durham University	55,000
Richard Davies	BG	60,000
Richard Davies	Statoil	100,000
Richard Davies	Confidential	2,500
Neil Goulty	Total	105,000
Richard Davies	PESGB	70,000
Richard Davies	BP	45,000
Richard Davies	ENI	75,000
Richard Davies	Dong Energy/ Ikon Science	600,000
Dougal Jerram	DONG	80,000
Richard Davies	IODP	109,000
Richard Davies	One NorthEast Bursaries in Energy and Environment	214,500
Dougal Jerram	Chevron	90,000
Jon Gluyas	ETI	67,000
Richard Davies	BP/NERC	55,000
Richard Davies	BP/NERC	55,000
Richard Davies	Statoil	90,000
Richard Davies	BP/NERC	55,000

Research Groups

Climate and Environmental Change
Geohazards

Research Interests

Deepwater Sedimentary Processes
Fluid flow in sedimentary basins
Passive Margin Evolution
Petroleum Geology
Rift Basins
Shale gas and hydraulic fracturing
Use of 3D seismic data in sedimentary basin analysis
Mud volcanoes

Selected Publications

Evans, R.J., Stewart, S.A., Davies, R.J. (2007). Phase-reversed seabed reflections in seismic data: examples related to mud volcanoes from the South Caspian Sea. Geo-marine Letters 27(2-4): 203-212.
Posamentier, HW, Davies, RJ, Cartwright, JA & Wood, L (2007). Seismic geomorphology - an overview. Seismic Geomorphology: Applications To Hydrocarbon Exploration And Production (277): 1-14.

Articles: review

Davies, R. J., Moss, J., Hustoft, S., & Mathias, S., (Published). Hydraulic Fractures: How Far Can They Go? Marine and Petroleum Geology v37: p1–6.
Davies, R, Foulger, G., Bindley, A., & Styles, P., (2013). Induced Seismicity and Hydraulic Fracturing for the Recovery of Hydrocarbons. Marine and Petroleum Geology
Richard J. Davies, Simon A. Mathias Jennifer Moss, Steinar Hustoft & Leo Newport (2012). Hydraulic fractures: How far can they go?. Marine and Petroleum Geology 37(1): 1–6.

Books: edited

Davies.R.J., Posamentier, H.W. Wood, L.J. & Cartwright, J.A. (2007). Seismic Geomorphology. Geological Society Special Publications. Geological Society, London: Geological Society, London.

Books: sections

Davies R.J. (2009). Lusi Mud Volcano - McGraw Hill 2009 Yearbook of Science & Technology. In McGraw Hill 2009 Yearbook of Science & Technology. McGraw Hill. 197-199.

Edited works: conference proceedings

Davies, R.J., Gras, R. & Payre, X. (2005). A Vision for 3D Seismic Technology and Visualization. Geological Society, London.
Davies, R.J., O'Donnell, D., Bentham, P.N., Gibson, J.P.C., Curry M.R., Dunay, R.E. & Maynard, J.R. (1999). The origin and genesis of major Jurassic unconformities within the triple junction area of the North Sea, UK. Geological Society, London.

Edited works: contributions

Robinson, A.M., Cartwright, J.A., Burgess, P.M. & Davies, R.J. (2004). 3D seismic analysis of complex delta top incision: An example from the Eocene of the Faroe-Shetland Basin. In 3D Seismic Technology: Application to the Exploration of Sedimentary Basins. Davies R.J., Cartwright J.A., Stewart S.A., Lappin M. & Underhill, J.R. Geological Society, London. 29: 73-82.
Stephen, K.J. & Davies, R.J. (1998). Documentation of Jurassic sedimentary cycles from the Moray Firth basin UK North Sea. In Mesozoic and Cenozoic Sequence Stratigraphy of European Basins. de Graciasky, P.C., Hardenbol, J., Jacquin, T., Farley, M. & Vail, P.R. Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists Special Publication.
Davies, R.J., Stephen, K.S. & Underhill, J.R. (1996). A re-evaluation of the Middle and Upper Jurassic stratigraphy and flooding history of the Moray Firth rift system, North Sea. In Geology of the Humber Group Central Graben and Moray Firth, UKCS). In: Hurst et al. (eds) Geological Society Special Publication. 114: 81-108.

Journal papers: academic

Davies, R.J., Thatcher, K.E., Mathias, S.A. & Yang, J. (2012). Deepwater canyons: An escape route for methane sealed by methane hydrate. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 323–324: 72-78.
Davies, R. J. Thatcher, K. E., Armstrong, H. Yang, J. & Hunter, S. (2012). Tracking the relict bases of marine methane hydrates using their intersections with stratigraphic reflections. Geology 40(11): 1011-1014.
Wright, K.A., Davies, R.J. & Jerram D., Morris J. (2011). Application of Seismic and Sequence Stratigraphic Concepts to a Lava-fed Delta System in the Faroe-Shetland Basin, UK and Faroes,. Basin Research 24(1): 91–106.
Davies, R.J., M. Manga, M. Tingay & R. Swarbrick (2011). Discussion: Fluid transport properties and estimation of overpressure at the Lusi mud volcano, East Java Basin (Tanikawa et al 2010),. Engineering Geology v. 121: p. 97–99.
Neagu, R.C. Cartwright, J., Davies R.J. & Jensen L. (2011). Fossilisation of a silica diagenesis reaction front on the mid-Norwegian margin. Marine and Petroleum Geology v. 27 : 2141-2155
Ireland, M.T., Goulty, N.R. & Davies, R.J. (2011). Influence of stratigraphic setting and simple shear on layer-bound compaction faults offshore Mauritania. Journal of Structural Geology 33: 487-499.
Davies, R.J. & Ireland, M.T. (2011). Initiation and propagation of polygonal fault arrays by thermally triggered volume reduction reactions in siliceous sediment. Marine Geology v 289: p. 150-158.
Davies R.J. (2011). Methane contamination of drinking water caused by hydraulic fracturing remains unproven (Discussion). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108(43): E871.
Roberts K.S., Stewart S. Davies R.J. & Evans R.J. (2011). Sector Collapse of Mud Volcanoes, Azerbaijan. Journal of the Geological Society London (168 ): 49-60.
Roberts K.S, Davies R.J., Stewart S.A. & Tingay, M. (2011). Structural controls on mud volcano vent distributions: examples from Azerbaijan and Lusi, east Java. Journal of the Geological Society 168(4): 1013.
Richardson, S. Davies R.J., Allen M.B. & Grant S.F. (2011). Structure and Evolution of Mass Transport Deposits in the South Caspian Basin, Azerbaijan, Basin Research. Basin Research 23(6): 702–719.
Maloney D., Davies, R.J., Imber, J., King, S. & 2012 (2011). Structure of the footwall of a listric fault system revealed by 3D seismic data, Basin Research. Basin Research 24(1): 107–123.
Davies, R.J., Mathias, S.A., Swarbrick, R.E. & Tingay, M. (2011). The Lusi mud volcano, East Java: how long will it last? Journal of the Geological Society 168: pp. 1–7.
Ireland, M.T., Davies, R.J., Goulty, N.R. & Moy, D.J. (2011). Thick slides dominated by regular-wavelength folds and thrusts in biosiliceous sediments on the Vema Dome offshore of Norway. Marine Geology 289(1-4): 34.
Wall, M., Cartwright, J.,, Davies, R. J. & McGrandle, A. (2010). 3D seismic imaging of a Tertiary Dyke Swarm in the Southern North Sea, UK. Basin Research 22: 181-194.
Lentini, M. R., Fraser, S. I. Sumner, S., Davies, R. J. (2010). Geodynamics of the central South Atlantic conjugate margins: implications for hydrocarbon potential. Petroleum Geoscience 16: 217-229.
Ireland, M.T., Davies, R.J., Goulty, N.R. & Carruthers, T.D. (2010). Heterogeneity in silica diagenetic reaction zones revealed by 3D seismic reflection data from offshore Norway. Sedimentology
Higgins, S, Clarke, B. Davies, R.J. & Cartwright J. (2010). Internal geometry and growth history of a thrust-related anticline in a deep water fold belt. Journal of Structural Geology
Neagu C., Cartwright J.A. & Davies, R.J. (2010). Measurement of diagenetic compaction strain from quantitative analysis of fault plane dip. Journal of Structural Geology
Davies R. J. & Clarke A. L. (2010). Methane recycling between hydrate and critically pressured stratigraphic traps, offshore Mauritania. Geology 38(11): 963-966.
Maloney D., Davies, R.J., Imber, J., Higgins, S. & King, S (2010). New insights into deformation mechanisms in the gravitationally-driven Niger Delta deepwater fold and thrust belt. AAPG Bulletin 94(9): 1401-1424.
Roberts, K.S., Davies, R.J., Stewart, S. A. (2010). Structure of exhumed mud volcano feeder complexes, Azerbaijan (p ). Basin Research
Huuse,M. Jackson, C. A-J. Van Rensbergen,P., Davies, R. J. Flemings, P. B., Dixon., R. J. (2010). Subsurface sediment remobilization and fluid flow in sedimentary basins: an overview. Basin Research
Davies, R.J., Manga M, Tingay, M., Lusianga, S. & Swarbrick, R (2010). The LUSI mud volcano controversy: Was it caused by drilling?’ Discussion of Sawalo et al 2009. Marine and Petroleum Geology
Meadows, D. & Davies, R.J. (2010). The suitability of silica diagenetic boundaries as isothermal markers: Examples from Offshore Sakhalin, Russian Far East. Marine and Petroleum Geology
Briggs, S.E., Cartwright, J. & Davies, R.J. (2009). Crustal structure of the deepwater west Niger Delta passive margin from the interpretation of seismic reflection data. Marine and Petroleum Geology 26: 936-950.
Davies, R.J., Ireland, M.T., Cartwright, J.A. (2009). Differential compaction due to the irregular topology of a diagenetic reaction boundary: a new mechanism for the formation of polygonal faults. Basin Research 21(3): 354-359.
Alves, TM, Cartwright, J & Davies, RJ (2009). Faulting of salt-withdrawal basins during early halokinesis: Effects on the Paleogene Rio Doce Canyon system (Espirito Santo Basin, Brazil). AAPG Bulletin 93(5): 617-652.
Higgins, S., Clarke, B., Davies, R.J. & Cartwright, J. (2009). Internal geometry and growth history of a thrust-related anticline in a deep water fold belt. Journal of Structural Geology 31: 1597-1611
Wall, M.L.T., Cartwright, J., Davies, R. J. (2009). Reply to discussion on ‘An Eocene age for the proposed Silverpit Impact Crater'. Journal of the Geological Society 166(issue 6): 1159-1160.
Abidin, HZ, Davies, RJ, Kusuma, MA, Andreas, H & Deguchi, T (2009). Subsidence and uplift of Sidoarjo (East Java) due to the eruption of the Lusi mud volcano (2006-present). Environmental Geology 57(4): 833-844.
Briggs, SE, Davies, RJ, Cartwright, J & Morgan, R (2009). Thrusting in oceanic crust during continental drift offshore Niger Delta, equatorial Africa. Tectonics 28: 16.
Heino, P. & Davies, R.J. (2009). Trails of depressions and sediment waves along submarine channels on the continental margin of Espirito Santo Basin, Brazil. Geological Society of America Bulletin 121: 698-711.
Wall, MLT, Cartwright, J & Davies, RJ (2008). An Eocene age for the proposed Silverpit Impact Crater. Journal Of The Geological Society 165: 781-794.
Davies, R.J., Goulty, N.R. & Meadows, D. (2008). Fluid flow due to the advance of basin-scale silica reaction zones. GSA Bulletin 120(1-2): 195-206.
Davies, RJ, Brumm, M, Manga, M, Rubiandini, R, Swarbrick, R & Tingay, M (2008). The East Java mud volcano (2006 to present): An earthquake or drilling trigger?. Earth And Planetary Science Letters 272(3-4): 627-638.
Evans, RJ, Stewart, SA & Davies, RJ (2008). The structure and formation of mud volcano summit calderas. Journal Of The Geological Society 165: 769-780.
Tingay, M, Heidbach, O, Davies, R & Swarbrick, R (2008). Triggering of the Lusi mud eruption: Earthquake versus drilling initiation. Geology 36(8): 639-642.
Higgins S., Davies R.J. & Clarke B. (2007). Antithetic fault linkages in a deep water fold and thrust belt. Journal of Structural Geology
Evans, RJ, Davies, RJ & Stewart, SA (2007). Internal structure and eruptive history of a kilometre-scale mud volcano system, South Caspian Sea. Basin Research 19(1): 153-163.
Davies, RJ & Cartwright, JA (2007). Kilometer-scale chemical reaction boundary patterns and deformation in sedimentary rocks. Earth And Planetary Science Letters 262(1-2): 125-137.
Heiniö, P. & Davies, R.J. (2007). Knickpoint migration in submarine channels in response to fold growth, western Niger Delta. Marine and Petroleum Geology 24: 434-449
Meadows, D. & Davies R.J. (2007). Morphological development of basin-scale silica diagenetic fronts revealed with two-dimensional seismic reflection data: offshore Sakhalin, Russian Far East. Geological Society, London 164: 1193-1206.
Davies R.J., Huuse, M., Hirst, P. & Cartwright, J. (2006). Clastic intrusions primed by silica diagenesis. Geology 34: 917-920.
Davies R.J. & Clark I. (2006). Continental slope failures primed and triggered by silica diagenesis: A case study based upon 3D seismic data analysis. Basin Research 18: 339-350.
Heinio P. H. & Davies, R. J. (2006). Fold degradation complexes in compressional belts: A case study of the deepwater toe-of-slope of the Niger Delta.
Briggs, S.E. Davies, R.J., Cartwright & J., Richard Morgan (2006). Multiple detachment levels and their control on fold styles in the compressional domain of the deepwater west Niger Delta. Basin Research 18: 435-450.
Stewart, S.A. & Davies, R.J. (2006). Structure and emplacement of mud volcano systems in the South Caspian Basin. Bulletin of the American Associaton of Petroleum Geologists 90: 753-770.
Davies R.J (2005). Differential compaction and subsidence in sedimentary basins due to silica diagenesis: A case study. Geological Society of America Bulletin 117(9-10): 1146-1155.
Davies, R. J. Stewart, S. A. (2005). Emplacement of giant mud volcanoes in the South Caspian Basin: three-dimensional seismic reflection imaging of root zones. Journal of the Geological Society 162: 1-4.
Davies R. J. & Posamentier, H. W. (2005). Geologic processes in sedimentary basins: inferred from three-dimensional seismic imaging. GSA Today 4-9.
Davies R. J., MacLeod C. J., Morgan, R. & Briggs, S. E. (2005). Termination of a fossil continent-ocean fracture zone imaged with three-dimensional seismic data: The Chain Fracture Zone, eastern Equatorial Atlantic. Geology 33(8): 641-644.
Davies, R.J., Cartwright, J.A., Stewart, S.A., Lappin, M. & Underhill, J.R. (2004). 3D Seismic Technology: Application to the Exploration of Sedimentary Basins. Geological Society of London Special Publication Memoir 29: 1-9.
Davies, R.J., Cloke, I.R., Cartwright, J.A., Robinson, A.M. & Ferrero, C. (2004). Post break-up compression of a passive margin and its impact upon the hydrocarbon prospectivity An example from the Tertiary of the Faeroe-Shetland Basin, UK. AAPG Bulletin 88-1: 1-20.
Trude, K.J., Cartwright, J.A., Davies, R.J. & Smallwood, J. (2003). A new technique for dating igneous sills. Geology 31: 813-816.
Davies, R.J. (2003). Kilometer-scale fluidization structures formed during early burial of a deep-water slope channel on the Niger Delta. Geology 31(11): 949-952.
Davies, R.J. & Cartwright, J.A. (2002). A fossilised Opal A to C/T transformation on the northeast Atlantic margin. Basin Research 14: 467-486.
Davies, R.J., Bell, B., Cartwright, J.A. & Shoulders, S. (2002). Three-dimensional seismic imaging of Paleogene dike-fed submarine volcanoes from the northeast Atlantic margin. Geology 30(3): 223-226.
Davies, R.J., Cartwright, J.A., Pike, J. & Line, C. (2001). Early Oligocene initiation of North Atlantic Deep Water formation. Nature 410(6831): 917-920.
Davies, R.J., Turner, J.D. & Underhill, J.R. (2001). Sequential dip-slip fault movement during rifting: A new model for the evolution of the Jurassic Trilete North Sea Rift System. Petroleum Geoscience 7: 371-388.
Davies, R.J., Cartwright, J.A. & Rana, J. (1999). Giant hummocks in deep-water marine sediments: Evidence for large-scale differential compaction and density inversion during early burial. Geology 27: 907-910.

Journal papers: popular

Davies R.J. Swarbrick, R.E., Evans, R.J. & Huuse, M. (2007). Birth of a mud volcano: East Java, 29 May 2006. GSA Today 17: 4-9.

Show all publications

Media Contacts

Available for media contact about:

The Earth: Rocks & natural forces: Mud volcanoes
The Earth: Rocks & natural forces: Hydrocarbon Exploration Deepwater Niger Delta
Earth Sciences: Shale Gas and Associated Risks
Volcanism: Lusi mud volcano, East Java
Industry & University: