DNA Sequencing and Interpretation
Geogenomics focuses on DNA sequencing and molecular microbiology at a time when the oil and gas industry is increasingly turning to these methods and this expertise for its problem solving.
Geogenomics was founded in 2019 in response to increasing requests from the energy sector for expert DNA sequencing and interpretation. Geogenomics meets a need for innovative and alternative approaches for microbial analysis in response to various industrial or environmental challenges and opportunities.
Focused Targeting of Client Needs
Clients that have approached geogenomics include:
Oil companies working in offshore oil production with questions about reservoir souring, microbially influenced corrosion (MIC), and overall flowline integrity
Oil companies requiring additional layers of seabed data collection as part of de-risking deep water offshore exploration
Exploration companies performing single- and multi-client surveys that are interested in sub-contracting DNA-based mapping of prospective areas
Oil companies wanting to characterise soil microbiology to look for microbial signatures that can help engineers design well placement plans
Service companies performing water testing for oil industry clients that are interested in sub-contracting DNA testing to help achieve better microbial control
Our Team
Companies have approached the Geogenomics team based on our track record and international reputation. Carmen Li and Casey Hubert combine over 30 years of experience in petroleum microbiology.
Carmen Li
CEO / Founder
CEO / Founder
Carmen Li has 15 years’ experience in molecular microbiology focusing on environmental microbiology and extreme environments such as mine waste tailings and deep-sea sediments.
After obtaining a B.Sc Honors in Molecular Genetics and a M.Sc. in Microbiology and Biotechnology at the University of Alberta, Carmen spent several years as a researcher during which she focused on the reclamation and bioremediation of hydrocarbon-impacted environments, such as oil sands tailings ponds. In 2014, Carmen joined the Geomicrobiology Research Group lead by Casey at the University of Calgary and has since investigated the potential of analyzing microbial communities in deep sea sediments to help de-risk offshore oil exploration.
Prompted by feedback and inquiries in response to Carmen’s presentations at petroleum microbiology meetings in the US, UK and Canada, Carmen launched Geogenomics Inc as its CEO in 2019, based out of their lab at the University of Calgary.
Casey Hubert
CSO / Founder
CSO / Founder
Casey Hubert began working in the field of petroleum microbiology in 1998 and has completed various projects focused on soils, marine sediments and oil reservoir samples. Successful projects have been undertaken while Dr. Hubert was based at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Germany, Newcastle University in the UK, and the University of Calgary in Canada.
In 2014 Casey joined the University of Calgary as an Associate Professor to launch the Geomicrobiology Group. Casey and Carmen have worked together since that time and published research with their geomicrobiology colleagues in leading scientific journals including Nature Communications, ISME and PNAS.
Media
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Using bacteria to clean up oil
Sustainable Energy takes a look at how researchers in Canada are looking to clean up oil.
Reducing the Risk
A ground-breaking project is using genomics to track microorganisms that cluster in areas where petroleum seeps from under the seafloor. Combining genomics with geology could paint a clearer picture of petroleum deposits in Nova Scotia’s offshore.
“We assess problems and opportunities related to microorganisms. Geogenomics performs high quality DNA sequencing on challenging geological samples using combinations of tools and strategies in geomicrobiology, molecular biology and genomics. ”