Our People

With a BS from Colorado School of Mines in Geological Engineering. He started as a geologist at EP Energy where he developed his professional petroleum understanding through four rotations in their professional development program. Next, he joined Shell in the Technical Excellence and Deployment team where he helped integrate XRF analysis into core-based data into workflows for reservoir characterization and asset support in US and International unconventional plays. Stephen brings a practical and knowledgeable level of expertise to the team. With key responsibility for data collection, interpretation and delivery of results, he is able to communicate with the clients on the impact of their analysis needs.  His versatility in XRF, XRD, FTIR, Density, Heavy Minerals and ICP and his ability to coordinate with the various specialists allows Chemostrat to provide timely and accurate results to our clients.

Additionally his role and ability to coordinate the various disciplines and integrate those into our deliverables insures our accurate and timely results are viewed in context and understood.

BSc (Hons) Geosciences 

Joanna has worked for X-ray Mineral Service since 2008, when she joined the company as a laboratory technician.  She has worked through all the roles in the business and was promoted to Operations Manager in 2013 and General Manager in January 2021, following the retirement of Stephen Jones.

Joanna previously worked for 15 years in the retail banking and financial services sector, which culminated in a Business Relationship Manager role, before returning to education to study for her undergraduate degree. Joanna regularly represents the Company at exhibitions and conferences throughout Europe and the Middle East. She is a Fellow of the Geological Society and a member of the North Wales Geology Association.

PhD Earth Science, MSc (Distinction) Geological Sciences and Technologies, BSc (Hons) in Geological Sciences.

Lorenza joined the company in 2014 as a Senior Geologist and has over 10 years’ experience in x-ray diffraction of geological samples with a particular interest in clay mineralogy. Lorenza is responsible for technical development of XRD methods and interpretation of XRD data. She specialises in quantitative mineralogical analysis using the Rietveld method with BGMN Autoquan , Siroquant, Profex, and HighScore+ software and the use of XRF analysis to calculate the mineralogy.

Lorenza has extensive experience with different rock types and geo-materials. Key projects include: battery minerals identification and quantification, mineralogical analysis of hydrocarbon reservoir rocks worldwide (conventional and unconventional) and participation in the 2016, 2018 and 2020 Reynolds Cup competitions. She is also responsible for the calibration of in-house methods with the analysis of nearly 250 standard minerals.

In 2017 she achieved her PhD in Earth Science with a thesis entitled “Integration of innovative mineral quantification techniques for improved analysis of hydrocarbon reservoir rocks”. Previously, Lorenza was a laboratory researcher for the mineralogical analysis of clay and rock by XRD at the Geotechnologies Center of the University of Siena and was responsible for the geological interpretation of XRD patterns and the installation and routine operation of the PANalytical X’Pert Diffractometer with a high temperature chamber.

Lorenza has taken part in several courses and schools in the field of XRD, geochemistry and geology. She is a member of The Clay Minerals Society, The Mineralogical Society, North Wales Geology Association and a Fellow of The Geological Society.

PhD Isotope Geochemistry, BSc (Hons) Geoscience

Alex joined Chemostrat in 2010 as a senior geologist responsible for Northwest Europe and now works across the Hafren Group companies, XMS Ltd. Origin Analytical Ltd and Chemostrat Ltd.

Alex has significant experience of utilising data from a wide variety of isotopic and elemental analysis techniques for both commercial and research purposes. Alex is using this experience to lead company wide commercial R&D initiatives to diversify the company away from oil and gas industry into the archaeological, extractive & environmental sectors. Recent examples of this diversification include the development of chemostratigraphy into archaeology through the Europe’s Lost Frontiers project (See chapter 10) and led the successful £~500k Innovate UK Smart Grant application – Passive Leached Waste Metal Remediation (PLWM).

Alex if a fellow of the Geological Society of London and currently is the current chair of the Extractive Industry Geology Conferences.

PhD, MSc (Distinction), MEarthSci (Hons)

Jesal joined the company in 2018 responsible for the interpretation of XRD data. She is proficient in the characterisation of various materials and rock types including battery mineral identification and quantification, black mass characterisation, clastic and carbonate hydrocarbon reservoir rocks, building aggregates and heavy clays for bricks and tiles manufacturing. She has an in-depth understanding of clay minerals and interpreting their diffraction patterns following glycolation and heat treatments.

In 2014, she completed her PhD in carbonate sedimentology and diagenesis integrating XRD analyses in the understanding of diagenetic processes, with particular application to the oil and gas industry. She has published her research at both national and international conferences and in peer-reviewed journals.

In 2009, Jesal obtained her undergraduate degree in Earth Sciences at the University of Manchester providing a strong foundation in Geology and also successfully completed her Masters Degree in Petroleum Geoscience in 2010.

Jesal is a Fellow of the Geological Society, a committee member of the Extractive Industries Geology and a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists