Fluvial Research Group SCHOOL OF EARTH AND ENVIRONMENT

Welcome to the Fluvial Research Group

The FRG brings together a broad range of expertise for the study of fluvial systems with the aim of developing a better understanding of both the behaviour and evolution of modern rivers and the applied significance of ancient fluvial sedimentary successions.

About FRG

Based in the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Leeds, this applied research group is part of the Centre for integrated Petroleum Engineering and Geoscience (CiPEG) and seeks to develop solutions to meet the needs of a variety sponsors including major oil and gas companies and mineral extraction companies, as well as UK research councils and government agencies.

Find out more about the FRG in this summary PDF file.

Key points

  • An industry-facing research group bringing together multi-disciplinary expertise in all aspects of applied fluvial sedimentary research.
  • A principal aim of the group is to conduct cutting-edge research into the application of fluvial sedimentology for gaining a better understanding of hydrocarbon and related mineral reserves.
  • Innovative techniques in knowledge transfer are central to the philosophy of the group. A key objective of the group is to distill current thinking and trends in applied fluvial research and present them in a digestible form for use by industrial sponsors.
  • Leeds has long been at the forefront of fluvial research and has a proven track record in studies of both modern and ancient fluvial systems, as well as in using flume and numerical modelling approaches.
  • The group also has considerable expertise in aeolian systems and preserved successions.
  • Full results of all past and ongoing research (including all primary data sets and summary updates) are available for download by group sponsors.
  • Invited Associate Members provide additional expertise.

Specific objectives of the FRG are to develop predictive models with which to account for the geometry and architecture of fluvial deposits, to explain how fluvial systems respond to long-term changes in external controlling factors such as climate and tectonic setting, and to better understand how fluvial systems respond to floods of various magnitudes in terms of their sedimentary behaviour. The philosophy of the group is to provide a range of modern and ancient analogue case examples that can be used to better understand the nature of subsurface successions which form important hydrocarbon reservoirs and mineral reserves or which form aquifer successions that are suitable for water extraction or which can be used as subsurface geological storage repositories such as for carbon sequestration.

The FRG runs in parallel with, and is organised in a similar manner to its sister group, the industry-facing Turbidites Research Group (TRG).

The industry-funded component of the FRG's work is organised in 3-year phases.

Phase 1: Jan 2009-Dec 2011.

New sponsors may join at any time. Discounts are available to returning sponsors and existing TRG sponsors.

For further information on the FRG contact:
Dr Nigel Mountney at n.mountney@see.leeds.ac.uk or +44 (0)113 343 5249
Prof. Bill McCaffrey at mccaffrey@earth.leeds.ac.uk or + 44 (0)113 343 6625




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