PetroStrat differs from many of our competitors in that we house the majority of our scientific team and our laboratory in a single purpose-built suite of labs and offices. This promotes close interaction between scientists and lab technicians to perfect sample processing techniques and ensuring we get the most out of samples we analyse. We are immensely proud of our facilities in Conwy and welcome any clients wishing to view or audit our premises (Several oil companies have conducted audits including Shell, BP, Statoil, ENI, Chevron and Hess).
We operate globally and are currently active on 5 continents, providing both routine analytical biostratigraphic services and state-of-the art, real-time wellsite palaeontological services. We can cover the entire fossil-bearing geological column.
We have satellite offices in St Albans (near London) Northwich (near Manchester), Houston and Calgary, which enable us to maintain contact with a number of our main clients.
All our scientific staff log into StrataBugs to enable quick and consistent logging of sample material both in the office and at the wellsite. We have 3 ODM licences shared between the main office in North Wales and satellite office in St Albans. All our biostratigraphers are qualified to at least MSc level in a relevant micropalaeontological discipline, and many have PhDs.
We also have a Sedimentology Department which is being headed up and managed by Peter Lucas, who has over 30 years’ experience managing a large sedimentology group.
Location and analysis capacity of laboratories
Our own purpose built laboratories in North Wales, housed in our main office, enables processing of all samples in-house for acid and non-acid based palynology, micropalaeontology and nannopalaeontology. We also have two state of the art mobile (wellsite) Buehler thin-sectioning machines and staff who are highly experienced in thin-section production. We have a high capacity Palynology Laboratory with 8 fume cupboards, and dedicated wash-down and thin-section Labs.
All preparatory services are certified under ISO 18001 and we are a certified ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001 business. (Certificates are available upon request).
Wellsite Services
For wellsite we have state of the art fume cupboards for acid (HF/HCL) palynology preparation that conform to HSE requirements of all oil companies. We can provide pressurised A60 units to normal or NORSOK standards (usually 6m units) to accommodate our fume cupboard, equipment, and wellsite team. We have found over the last few years that there is no longer space for wellsite biostratigraphers to be accommodated in mud logging units as these companies are now providing more integrated services and have more personnel and equipment of their own to accommodate. All our wellsite technicians are trained in the use and handling of HF acid (for palynology) and we ensure that when this technique is used at wellsite all appropriate safety measures are put in place and the necessary rig personnel are made aware of the potential risks and hazards.
PetroStrat have a proven health and safety record, with no accidents or incidents in >15 years of trading.
