Chris Cornford has a Joint B.A. (Hons) in Geology & Chemistry (1971) from the University of Keele, UK, and an M.Sc. (1972) and Ph.D. (1977) covering organic geochemistry, coal and coke from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK. Following 3 years of mainly DSDP-related research at the KFA, Germany (1975-78), he worked for BNOC/Britoil as a petroleum geochemist and latterly acting Head of the Stratigraphic Laboratory (1978-83). In 1983 he resigned from Britoil to set up Integrated Geochemical Interpretation Ltd. (IGI) and Hallsannery Field Centre in Bideford, Devon.

Chris is a senior consultant at IGI, with an additional role of developing the company strategy. When not canoeing in France (ughh ... the English abroad!), he undertakes consulting projects, runs training courses and helps design geochemical software.  He has authored numerous proprietary and multi-client reports covering most major basins of the world and has published and lectured widely on organic petrography and geochemistry.

Specialist expertise lies in the integration of petroleum geochemistry into its geological context to assist the explorationist.   This is underpinned by detailed knowledge of screening geochemistry, organic petrography, and GC-MS interpretation, together with quantifying Petroleum Systems (charge volumes) and quantifying risk.

Chris is member of Geological Society (past committee member), the Petroleum Group of the Geological Society (founding committee member), the Ussher Society (Committee Member and past Chair), EAOG (conference Scientific Committees), ICCP, CSPG and PESGB.