What Biomarker Technologies does

Biomarker Technologies, Inc. (BTI) is a privately held, specialized geochemical laboratory founded by Dr. J.M. (Mike) Moldowan in 1993 and incorporated in California in 2012. The company operates a 7,600 square foot, custom-built analytical facility in Rohnert Park, California equipped with an Agilent Technologies TQ-System and an Agilent Technologies MSD, providing biomarker, diamondoid, and compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) services to oil and gas exploration and production companies worldwide. Its proprietary analytical methods—QDA (Quantitative Diamondoid-Biomarker Analysis), QEDA (Quantitative Extended Diamondoid Analysis), CSIA-D (Compound-Specific Isotope Analysis of Diamondoids), CSIA-B/A, BAA (Biomarker Acids Analysis), thiadiamondoid, and Special C30 Sterane Analysis—are protected by over 30 granted US and international patents, and BTI is described as the only laboratory capable of performing CSIA-D and CSIA-B separations.

BTI derives revenue primarily from project-based geochemical laboratory services (correlation of hydrocarbon samples, basin modeling for exploration, biodegradation assessment, asphaltene analysis, and source rock characterization), supported by expert petroleum geochemistry consulting, R&D collaboration, and paid short courses and workshops (a four-day Molecular Geochemistry course priced at $4,000 per student). Go-to-market is enterprise field sales driven directly by the CEO, CFO, and COO, augmented by event-driven short courses hosted at oil-industry venues and a referral partnership with GEMS S.A. in Colombia for South American accounts.

The company's served customers include virtually every major oil company—Aramco, Kuwait Oil Company, Shell, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and Petrobras—alongside North American independents such as Anadarko Petroleum. The firm is family-led (CEO J.M. Moldowan, CFO Jaime J. Moldowan, COO Shaun M. Moldowan) with a small core staff of six named personnel (a lab manager, two lab technicians, and additional roles) and operates with no disclosed institutional capital, no funding rounds, and no M&A history.

Name

Biomarker Technologies

Legal name

Biomarker Technologies, Inc.

Website

https://biomarker-inc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Biomarker Technologies, Inc. is a California-based specialty geochemical laboratory that provides proprietary biomarker, diamondoid, and compound-specific isotope analyses to oil and gas exploration companies, including most major international oil firms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Petroleum Geochemistry Laboratory Services

NAICS

Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136)

SIC

Oil & Gas Field Exploration Services (1382), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Mineral Exploration & Geoscience Services (Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry, Resource Modeling) (IMAKAKAA)

Keywords

• Petroleum geochemistry services
• Biomarker analysis laboratory
• Diamondoid fingerprinting analysis
• Compound specific isotope analysis
• Oil exploration consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Rohnert Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Laboratory Analytical Services: Core revenue stream from performing advanced geochemical analyses on petroleum samples including GC-MS, GC-MS-MS, biomarker analyses, diamondoid analyses, and compound specific isotope analyses. Revenue is generated per sample or per analysis project.
2. Consulting Services: Geochemical consulting for petroleum system assessment, basin modeling, and exploration support.
3. Short Courses and Workshops: Revenue from paid short courses on molecular geochemistry (Biomarkers-Isotopes-Diamondoids-CSIA). Tuition is $4,000 per student for a four-day course. Includes in-person training at industry venues.
4. Training and Internships: Short course training, workshops, and internships for industry professionals.
5. Research and Development: R&D services for new exploration plays and petroleum system development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Biomarker Technologies, Inc. operates an advanced petroleum geochemistry laboratory that performs proprietary biomarker, diamondoid, and compound-specific isotope analyses (GC-MS, GC-MS-MS, CSIA) on petroleum samples. Services are sold directly to oil and gas exploration, development, and production companies for basin modeling and reservoir characterization. The company also delivers petroleum geochemistry consulting, paid short courses, workshops, internships, and R&D.

Product overview

Biomarker Technologies, Inc. is a California-based geochemical laboratory providing advanced analytical services for the petroleum industry. The company operates as a single unified laboratory services offering that combines specialized biomarker, diamondoid, and isotope analyses with consulting expertise. The core analytical portfolio centers on GC-MS and GC-MS-MS analyses using Agilent instrumentation, supplemented by proprietary methods including QDA (Quantitative Diamondoid-Biomarker Analysis), QEDA (Quantitative Extended Diamondoid Analysis), CSIA (Compound Specific Isotope Analysis) for biomarkers, alkanes, isoprenoids, diamondoids, and aromatics, plus specialized services for asphaltenes, source rocks, and reservoir characterization. The company also offers consulting services, workshops, short courses, and training programs in petroleum geochemistry. All services are delivered through their 7,600 square foot facility in Rohnert Park, CA, with analytical equipment including Agilent Technologies TQ-System and Agilent Technologies MSD.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GC-MS Analysis (Agilent-MSD) Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis using Agilent MSD for quantitative saturates SIM-GC-MS, aromatics SIM-GC-MS (quantitative triaromatic steroids), and complete diamondoid analysis with adamantanes to tetramantanes using six isotopically-labeled standards. Sold to oil and gas exploration, development, and production customers.
• GC-MS-MS Analysis (Agilent-TQ System) Advanced tandem mass spectrometry analysis using Agilent TQ-System for full scan, quantified steranes, oleananes, bicadinanes, hopanes, thiadiamondoid analysis for TSR determination, and full complement of diterpanes. Sold to oil and gas exploration customers.
• Compound Specific Isotope Analysis (CSIA) Comprehensive carbon isotope analysis including bulk oil/bitumen/fractions, CSIA of light hydrocarbons (CSIA-LH), CSIA-A (n-alkanes), CSIA-I (isoprenoids), CSIA-Bh/Bs (biomarkers), CSIA-D (diamondoids), and CSIA of aromatic compounds. Sold to oil and gas exploration customers.
• Quantitative Diamondoid-Biomarker Analysis Method (QDA) Proprietary fingerprinting method for nanometer-sized diamonds (diamondoids) in petroleum, serving as a genetic tracer for liquid petroleum correlation and basin modeling. Sold to oil and gas exploration customers.
• Quantitative Extended Diamondoid Analysis (QEDA) Proprietary technology for fingerprinting higher diamondoids (discovered in 2003), providing a genetic tracer for any liquid petroleum used in oil correlation and exploration play identification. Sold to oil and gas exploration customers.
• CSIA of Diamondoids (CSIA-D) Carbon isotopic signature analysis of individual diamondoids providing fingerprinting capability to determine source of oil, condensate, heavy oil, or thermally-derived gas. BTI is the only laboratory that performs these separations and analyses. Sold to oil and gas exploration customers.
• Asphaltene Analysis Quantitative analysis of asphaltenes as part of SARA analysis, bulk preparation, hydrous pyrolysis of isolated asphaltenes, and various analyses for heavy oil applications. Sold to oil and gas production and exploration customers.
• Source Rock Analysis Rock Eval 6 analysis, carbon isotope analysis on kerogen/bitumen/coal, decarbonization for isotope analysis, TOC, and carbonates. Sold to oil and gas exploration customers.
• Gas Chromatography High resolution whole oil trace, reservoir fingerprinting GC analysis, high resolution C7 complete PONA column analysis, and organic biomarker acids analysis for biodegraded reservoir applications. Sold to oil and gas exploration and production customers.
• Age-related Taxon-specific Biomarkers Specialty biomarker program for age-related taxon identification used in petroleum system basin modeling. Sold to oil and gas exploration customers.
• Biomarker Acids Analysis (BAA) Analysis of biomarker acids relevant to heavy oil field exploration and production, providing means to unravel and quantify reservoir charging episodes and biodegradation history. Sold to oil and gas customers.
• Thiadiamondoid Analysis Analysis for thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR) estimation in petroleum systems. Sold to oil and gas exploration customers.
• Special C30 Sterane Analysis (SPC30SA) Specialized analysis of C30 steranes for petroleum characterization. Sold to oil and gas exploration customers.
• Consulting Services Expert petroleum geochemistry consulting for basin modeling, exploration, development, and production. Sold to oil and gas companies.
• Workshops and Training Industry training including paid short courses on molecular geochemistry covering biomarkers, isotopes, diamondoids and CSIA, plus internships and R&D collaboration, delivered to petroleum geologists, geochemists, and engineers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Diamondoid technologies identified subsalt oil play in Santos Basin, Brazil prior to Petrobrás major discoveries, demonstrating exploration value.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature11 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GEMS S.A.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2012Strategic partnership formed in July 2012 between Biomarker Technologies, Inc. and GEMS S.A. (Colombia). Both entities joined forces to expand laboratory services and enable BTI to offer services more directly with South American companies. GEMS S.A. is a consulting and services company working for the Oil & Gas Industry with extensive experience in G&G, Petroleum Systems Assessment, Basin Modeling and Geochemical Analyses across Latin America. GEMS S.A. also owns a large scale, full analytical laboratory located in Bucaramanga, Colombia.
• Hossein AlimiminorOthersHossein Alimi serves as a Senior Petroleum Geochemist associate of Biomarker Technologies, Inc. He brings over three decades of experience in petroleum geology/geochemistry, including evaluating petroleum systems, hydrocarbon source potential of sedimentary basins, unconventional shale gas plays, biomarker fingerprints, and stable isotope data. He previously held positions at Weatherford Laboratories, Robertson Research Singapore, Global Geochemistry Corporation, and the USGS.
• Anadarko PetroleumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnadarko Petroleum hosted BTI's four-day Molecular Geochemistry Short Course (September 19-22, 2016) at their facility in The Woodlands, Houston, Texas. Anadarko provided the venue for the course, demonstrating a GTM partnership where the host gains early access to BTI's expertise and training.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Weatherford Laboratories: Weatherford (and its former Laboratory Services division, now part of Halliburton's Landmark) is a large oilfield services company providing geochemical and PVT analysis to the upstream industry. It competes directly with BTI on biomarker, fluid property, and source rock analyses, but at significantly broader scale and as part of a full wellsite-to-reservoir services portfolio.
• Core Laboratories: Core Laboratories is a global oilfield services company providing reservoir description and production enhancement services, including geochemical, PVT, and rock properties analyses. It competes with BTI across a much broader analytical portfolio and serves the same major and national oil company exploration customers worldwide.
• Intertek: Intertek is a global testing, inspection, and certification company with a substantial oil and gas analytical services practice covering geochemistry, cargo inspection, and refining testing. It competes with BTI on broader upstream and downstream analytical work for multinational oil and gas clients.
• ALS Global: ALS Global is an international testing services network with hydrocarbon and geochemistry labs serving upstream operators. It offers overlapping petroleum geochemistry capabilities with BTI but as part of a vastly broader environmental, minerals, and life sciences testing portfolio.
• SGS: SGS is a global testing, inspection, and certification company with oil, gas, and chemicals service lines including geochemical and reservoir fluid analysis. It is comparable to BTI as an analytical services provider to the upstream industry but at much larger scale and scope.

Direct peers

• GeoMark Research: GeoMark Research is a Houston-based commercial geochemical laboratory specializing in oil and gas source rock characterization, biomarker analysis, and petroleum systems analysis. It is the closest direct competitor to BTI in terms of niche focus on petroleum geochemistry and similar client base of independent and major E&P companies.
• Stratum Reservoir: Stratum Reservoir (now part of NUTECH Energy Alliance and previously a Core Lab spinout) provides geochemical, PVT, and core analysis for upstream operators. It is a direct competitor to BTI in the niche of advanced petroleum geochemistry and reservoir characterization for exploration and development projects.
• Chemostrat: Chemostrat is a UK-headquartered geochemical laboratory providing chemostratigraphy and inorganic geochemistry services to the upstream oil and gas industry. It is comparable to BTI as a specialty geochemistry lab serving exploration-focused E&P customers with proprietary methodologies.
• Premier Oilfield Laboratories: Premier Oilfield Laboratories is a US-based specialty oilfield laboratory providing geochemical, PVT, and fluid analysis to exploration and production operators. It is comparable to BTI as a mid-sized independent commercial lab focused on upstream analytical services.
• Applied Petroleum Technology (APT): Applied Petroleum Technology is a Norway-based specialty geochemical laboratory providing source rock, biomarker, isotope, and fluid analysis for oil and gas exploration. It is comparable to BTI as a niche specialty geochemistry lab serving international E&P clients with proprietary analytical methods.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/biomarker-technologies-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Biomarker Technologies