Dr Stuart Jones, BSc Aberystwth (1994); PhD Reading (1997)

Contact Dr Stuart Jones (email at stuart.jones@durham.ac.uk)

Biography

2013 – present — Senior Lecturer in Sedimentology, Durham University

2000 – 2013 — Lecturer in Sedimentology, Durham University

2004 – present — Visiting Professor in Clastic Sedimentology, University of Payme Noor, Iran

1998 – 2000 — Royal Society Teaching Fellow, School of Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton

1996 – 1998 — Senior Sedimentologist, Baker Atlas Geosciences, International INC.

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Career Research Highlights

Stuart Jones is a clastic sedimentologist that specialises in continental sedimentology, diagenesis and reservoir quality prediction. Stuart's research has focused on fluvial sedimentology and evolution within a variety of tectonic basin settings and under the influence of a variety of climatic regimes. This is undertaken through the joint application of subsurface and outcrop sedimentological data for improved model development and reducing subsurface risk and uncertainty. Recent research on how overpressure and early diagenetic cements can maintain high porosities in reservoir sandstones is guiding better reservoir predictions for High-Pressure High-Temperature (HPHT) systems. Stuart is deputy leader of the GeoPOP research consortium, a multi-disciplinary research group investigating overpressure in sedimentary basins and funded by the hydrocarbon industry (www.geopop.org.uk).

Stuart has widely published on non-marine sedimentology in peer-reviewed journals, has edited several books and is currently nearing completion of a new introductory book about sedimentology. Since 2001, he has obtained research funding in excess of £3.2 Million.

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Committee and Society Service

2008 – present — Member of Geological Society of London, Awards Committee

2002 – 2005 – Secretary of the British Sedimentological Research Group, Geological Society of London

2002 – 2005 – Representative for British Sedimentological Research Group on the Science panel for Geological Society of London

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Conferences and Workshops

2011 — Syntectonic fluvial and alluvial systems in a Permo-Triassic rift basin, central Spain. Oil company field workshop - EnQuest

2011 — ESTA Annual Conference, Durham University. Convenor

2010 Syntectonic fluvial and alluvial systems in a Permo-Triassic rift basin, central Spain. Oil company field workshop - Talisman Energy, OMV & DONG

2010 — Syntectonic fluvial and alluvial systems in a Permo-Triassic rift basin, central Spain. Oil company field workshop - ConocoPhillips, BG & ENI

2009 — Syntectonic fluvial and alluvial systems in a Permo-Triassic rift basin, central Spain. Oil company field workshop - RWE Dea

2008 Syntectonic fluvial and alluvial systems in a Permo-Triassic rift basin, central Spain. Oil company field workshop - Talisman Energy

2008 — Alluvial systems and controls on reservoir quality. Oil company field workshop - BG

2007 — Alluvial systems and controls on reservoir quality. Oil company field workshop - ConocoPhillips

2007 — Alluvial Fans 2007, Bamff, Canada. Co-convenor

2005 Climatic and tectonic controls on piggyback basin sediments: Spanish Pyrenees. Oil company workshop

2005 — British Sedimentological Annual General Meeting, Durham University. Convenor

2004 — William Smith meeting, Geological Society London. Earth’s Dynamic Surface: catastrophe and continuity in landscape evolution. Co-convenor

2004 — Controls on rift sedimentation: Permo-Triassic central Spain. Oil company workshop

2002 — 11th Workshop of the ILP task force, Europrobe: Tectonic basins and sedimentary dynamics. Oliana Spain. Co-convenor

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Editorial Roles

2015 - present — Editorial Board of the Journal Petroleum Science

2012 - present — Editorial Board of the Journal of the Geological Society as a Subject Editor in Sedimentology

2005 - present — Editorial Board, Journal of Iberian Geology, Spain

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Invited Keynotes

2005 — "Response times in landscape evolution". EGU General Assembly, Vienna

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Prizes & Awards

2004: Excellence in Teaching Award, Durham University

2004: PhD Student, Thomas Sinclair awarded academia and industry prize by the Geological Society of London

2006: Chartered Geologist status, Geological Society of London

2006: PhD Student, Thomas Sinclair awarded academia and industry prize by the Geological Society of London

2006: SETPOINT NORTH EAST Science Ambassador of the Year

2006: Excellence in Teaching Award, Durham University

2018: Excellence in Doctoral Supervision, Durham University

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Research Groups

Department of Earth Sciences

• Climate and Environmental Change
• Climate, Environment, and Resources
• Geoenergy, Resources and Waste
• Palaeoclimate Research Group
• Sedimentology Research Group

Research Interests

• Quantitative fluvial sedimentology
• Sediment supply to basins and clastic depositional environments of rift, strike-slip and foreland basins

Indicators of Esteem

• 2008: Member Geological Society of London Awards Committee: Member Geological Society of London Awards Committee
• 2007: Bringing Science to Life. Meeting with PM Tony Blair: Invited meeting with Prime Minister Tony Blair at 10 Downing street, to discuss engagement of the next generation of scientists
• 2006: Science and Engineering Ambassador of the Year. Awarded by SETPOINT NE:

Selected Publications

Authored book

• Jones, S.J. (2015). Introducing Sedimentology. Dunedin Academic Press.

Chapter in book

• Gluyas, Jon, Tang, Longxun & Jones, Stuart (2018). Argyll Field: the first oil field to be developed on the UK Continental Shelf. In History of the European Oil and Gas Industry. Craig, J., Gerali, F., Macaulay, F. & Sorkhabi, R. London: Geological Society. 465: 77-93.
• Arzani, N. & Jones, S.J. (2016). Upstream controls on evolution of dryland alluvial megafans: Quaternary examples from the Kohrud Mountain Range, central Iran. In Geology and Geomorphology of Alluvial and Fluvial Fans: Terrestrial and Planetary Perspectives. Ventra, D. & Clarke, L. E. The Geological Society, London. 440.
• Frostick, L.E & Jones, S.J (2002). Impact of periodicity on sediment flux in alluvial systems; grain to basin scale. In Sediment Flux to Basins: Causes, Controls and Consequences. Jones, S.J & Frostick, L.E London: Geological Society of London. 191: 81-95.
• Jones, S.J & Frostick, L.E. (2002). Transverse Rivers Draining the Spanish Pyrenees: Large Scale Patterns of Sediment Erosion and Deposition. In Sediment flux to basins: causes, controls and consequences. Jones, S.J. & Frostrick, L.E. London: Geological Society of London. 191: 171-186.

Edited book

• Gallagher, K, Jones S J & Wainwright J (2008). Landscape Evolution: Denudation, Climate and Tectonics over Different Time and Space Scales. Geological Society London, Special Publications 296.
• Jones, S J & Frostick, L E (2002). Sediment Flux to Basins: Causes, Controls and Consequences. Geological Society London, Special Publications 191.

Journal Article

• Franzel, Maximilian, Jones, Stuart J., Meadows, Neil, Allen, Mark B., McCaffrey, Ken & Morgan, Tim (2021). Basin-scale fluvial correlation and response to the Tethyan marine transgression: an example from the Triassic of central Spain. Basin Research 33(1): 1-25.
• Charlaftis, D, Jones, S.J, Dobson, K.J, Crouch, J & Acikalin, S (2021). Experimental study of chlorite authigenesis and influence on porosity maintenance in sandstones. Journal of Sedimentary Research 91(2): 197-212.
• Donovan, Stephen K., Jones, Stuart J., King, Abigail R. & Harper, David A.T. (2021). Pliocene trace fossils from oyster substrates in the Nijar Basin, Betic Cordillera, southern Spain. Proceedings of the Geologists' Association
• Bello, Abdulwahab M., Jones, Stuart J., Gluyas, Jon G., Acikalin, Sanem & Cartigny, Matthieu (2021). Role played by clay content in controlling reservoir quality of submarine fan system, Forties Sandstone Member, Central Graben, North Sea. Marine and petroleum Geology 128.
• Ramdhan, Agus, M., Goulty, Neil, R., Jones, Stuart, J. & Hutasoit, Lambok, M. (2020). Density Normal Compaction Trend in the Peciko Field, Lower Kutai Basin, Indonesia. Indonesian Journal on Geoscience 7(3): 253-265.
• O'Neill, Sean R., Jones, Stuart J. & Kamp, Peter J.J. (2020). Diagenesis and burial history modeling of heterogeneous marginal marine to shoreface Paleocene glauconitic sandstones, Taranaki Basin, New Zealand. Journal of Sedimentary Research 90(6): 651-668.
• Groves, Katharine, Saville, Christopher, Hurst, Martin D., Jones, Stuart J., Song, Shuguang & Allen, Mark B. (2020). Geomorphic expressions of collisional tectonics in the Qilian Shan, north eastern Tibetan Plateau. Tectonophysics 788: 228503.
• Qian, W. D., Zheng, F., Huijia, T., Jones, S. & Taiju, Y. (2020). Mid-Deep and Deeply Buried Clastic Reservoirs Porosity Evolution Simulation with Using the Process-Based Method. Geotectonics 54(6): 844.
• Tang, Longxun, Gluyas, Jon G., Jones, Stuart & Besly, Bernard (2020). The Alma (formerly Argyll/Ardmore) Field, Blocks 30/24 and 30/25a, UK North Sea. Geological Society, London, Memoirs 52(1): 360-370.
• Oye, Olakunle J., Aplin, Andrew C., Jones, Stuart J., Gluyas, Jon G., Bowen, Leon, Harwood, Joseph, Orland, Ian J. & Valley, John W. (2020). Vertical effective stress and temperature as controls of quartz cementation in sandstones: Evidence from North Sea fulmar and Gulf of Mexico Wilcox sandstones. Marine and Petroleum Geology 115: 104289.
• Wang, Xiao, He, Sheng, Jones, Stuart J., Yang, Rui, Wei, Ajuan, Liu, Changhai, Liu, Qiang, Cheng, Chunyang & Liu, Weimin (2019). Overpressure and its positive effect in deep sandstone reservoir quality of Bozhong Depression, offshore Bohai Bay Basin, China. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering 182: 106362.
• Pan, L., Jones, S.J., Wang, X., Guan, W. & Li, L. (2019). Re-evaluation of the porosity measurements under different confining pressures: a better appraisal of reservoir porosity. AAPG Bulletin 103(3): 515-526.
• Tang, Long-Xun, Gluyas, Jon, Jones, Stuart & Bowen, Leon (2018). Diagenetic and geochemical studies of the Buchan Formation (Upper Devonian) in the Central North Sea. Petroleum Science 15(2): 211-229.
• O'Neill, Sean R., Jones, Stuart J., Kamp, Peter J.J., Swarbrick, Richard E. & Gluyas, Jon G. (2018). Pore pressure and reservoir quality evolution in the deep Taranaki Basin, New Zealand. Marine and Petroleum Geology 98: 815-835.
• Tang, Longxun, Gluyas, Jon & Jones, Stuart (2018). Porosity preservation due to grain coating illite/smectite: Evidence from Buchan Formation (Upper Devonian) of the Ardmore Field, UK North Sea. Proceedings of the Geologists' Association 129(2): 202-214.
• Stricker, Stephan, Jones, Stuart J., Meadows, Neil & Bowen, Leon (2018). Reservoir quality of fluvial sandstone reservoirs in salt-walled mini-basins: an example from the Seagull field, Central Graben, North Sea, UK. Petroleum Science 15(1): 1-27.
• Oye, Olakunle J., Aplin, Andrew C., Jones, Stuart J., Gluyas, Jon G., Bowen, Leon, Orland, Ian J. & Valley, John W. (2018). Vertical effective stress as a control on quartz cementation in sandstones. Marine and Petroleum Geology 98: 640-652.
• Tang, L., Jones, S. J. & Gluyas, J. (2017). Facies Architecture of the Fluvial-Aeolian Buchan Formation (Upper Devonian) and Its Implications on Field Exploration: A Case Study from Ardmore Field, Central North Sea, UK. International Journal of Geosciences 8(7): 902-924.
• Jones, S. J. (2017). Goo, glue, and grain binding: Importance of biofilms for diagenesis in sandstones. Geology 45(10): 959-960.
• Stricker, S., Jones, S. J. & Sathar, S. (2017). Overpressure preventing quartz cementation? - A reply. Marine and Petroleum Geology 79: 337-339.
• Cu, Y., Wang, G., Jones, S.J., Zhou, Z., Ran, Y., Lai, J., Li, R. & Deng, L. (2017). Prediction of diagenetic facies using well logs – A case study from the upper Triassic Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin, China. Marine and Petroleum Geology 81: 50-65.
• Cui, Yufeng, Jones, Stuart J., Saville, Christopher, Stricker, Stephan, Wang, Guiwen, Tang, Longxun, Fan, Xuqiang & Chen, Jing (2017). The role played by carbonate cementation in controlling reservoir quality of the Triassic Skagerrak Formation, Norway. Marine and Petroleum Geology 85: 316-331.
• Stricker, S. & Jones, S.J. (2016). Enhanced porosity preservation by pore fluid overpressure and chlorite grain coatings in the Triassic Skagerrak, Central Graben, North Sea, UK. Geological Society, London, Special Publications 435: 321-341.
• Stricker, S., Jones, S. J., Sathar, S., Bowen, L. & Oxtoby, N. (2016). Exceptional reservoir quality in HPHT reservoir settings: examples from the Skagerrak Formation of the Heron Cluster, UK, North Sea. Marine and Petroleum Geology 77: 198-215.
• Sathar, S. & Jones, S.J. (2016). Fluid overpressure as a control on sandstone reservoir quality in a mechanical compaction dominated setting: Magnolia Field, Gulf of Mexico. Terra Nova 28(3): 155-162.
• Stricker, S, Jones, S.J. & Grant, N. (2016). Importance of vertical effective stress for reservoir quality in the Skagerrak Formation, Central Graben, North Sea. Marine and Petroleum Geology 78: 895-909.
• Zahida, M.A., Chunmeia, D., Lina, C., Gluyas, J., Jones S.J., Zhang,X., Munawara,M.J. & Maa, C. (2016). Sequence Stratigraphy, sedimentary facies and reservoir quality of Es4s, southern slope of Dongying Depression, Bohai Bay Basin, East China. Marine and Petroleum Geology 77: 448-470.
• Jones, S.J., Arzani, N. & Allen, M.B. (2014). Tectonic and climatic controls on fan systems: The Kohrud mountain belt, Central Iran. Sedimentary Geology 302: 29-42.
• Nguyen, B.T.T., Jones, S.J., Goulty, N.R., Middleton, A.J., Grant, N., Ferguson, A. & Bowen, L. (2013). The role of fluid pressure and diagenetic cements for porosoity preservation in Triassic fluvial reservoirs of the Central Graben, North Sea. AAPG Bulletin 97(8): 1273-1302.
• Goulty, N.R., Ramdhan, A.M. & Jones, S.J. (2012). Chemical compaction of mudrocks in the presence of overpressure. Petroleum Geoscience 18(4): 471-479.
• Allen, M.B., Kheirkhah, M., Emami, M.H. & Jones, S.J. (2011). Right-lateral shear across Iran and kinematic change in the Arabia–Eurasia collision zone. Geophysical Journal International 184(2): 555-574.
• Waters, J V, Jones, S J & Armstrong, H A (2010). Climatic controls on late Pleistocene alluvial fans, Cyprus. Geomorphology 115(3-4): 228-251.
• Jones, S J & Frostick, L.E. (2008). Inferring bedload transport from stratigraphic successions: examples from Cenozoic and Pleistocene rivers, south central Pyrenees, Spain. Geological Society, London, Special Publications 296(1): 129-145.
• Jones, S.J., Frostick, L.E. & Astin, T.R. (2007). Contrasting Bedload Transport Rates of Oligo-Miocene and Pleistocene. Sedimentary Geology
• Jones, S.J. (2004). Tectonic controls on drainage evolution and development of terminal alluvial fans, southern Pyrenees, Spain. Terra Nova 16(3): 121-127.
• Jones, S.J, Frostick, L.E & Astin, T.R (2001). Braided stream and flood plain architecture: the Rio Vero Formation, Spanish Pyrenees. Sedimentary Geology 139(3-4): 229-260.

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Media Contacts

Available for media contact about:

• Industry: Chemicals, plastics, oil & gas: oil and gas economics and employment
• Landscape & buildings: landscape evolution and development
• The Earth: Rocks & natural forces: rivers
• The Earth: Rocks & natural forces: flooding
• The Earth: Rocks & natural forces: oil exploration
• The Earth: Rocks & natural forces: geology of Spain and Israel
• The Earth: Rocks & natural forces: rocks - ``sedimentary''
• The Earth: Rocks & natural forces: minerals
• The Earth: Rocks & natural forces: coastal erosion

Supervises

• Miss Chimaobi Nwachukwu
• Ms Natalia Wasielka
• Mr Sudirman Dawing
• Mr Oluwafemi Aro
• Mr Abdulwahab Bello
• Mr Dimitrios Charlaftis
• Mr Maximilian Franzel
• Miss Katharine Groves
• Mr. Hector Escamilla-garcia
• Mr Joel Lozano
• Mr. Tom Verniers
• Mr. Jack Salisbury
• Mrs Erika Calderon-medina
• Mr Joshua Marsh
• Mr Rory Sutton

Selected Grants

Teaching Areas

• Earth Science into Schools [Year 3 & 4]
• Field Studies field Trip to Almeria , Southern Spain [ Year 2]
• Sedimentary Environments (Year 2)
• The Oil Game field trip (Year 4)
• Understanding Earth Sciences (Year 1)