LEITH-based geophysics company Adrok, which has pioneered a new method of exploring for oil gas and minerals, is seeking to expand its operations in Australia as part of a "very aggressive target" of achieving a £100 million in turnover within the next five years.

The company, founded by father and son geographer-geologists Colin and Gordon Stove in 1997, has spent 10 years patenting and proving an ultra-high-tech method of detecting sub-surface deposits known as Atomic Dielectric Resonance (ADR).

Gordon Stove, Adrok's managing director, said the method contravenes the "laws of classical physics" which place limitations on the ability of radio waves to penetrate deep underground

ADR uses quantum electric dynamic theory to allow the creation of deep "virtual bore holes", giving clients an accurate picture of the geology of the area surveyed, at a fraction of the cost of that derived from conventional test-drilling

Stove said: "We currently have a turnover of between £1.5m-£2m but we are growing fast, tripling our workforce within the past six moths. We would be very disappointed if we didn't achieve £100m.

"If our plans to break into Australia work out as we expect, we will be able to augment our revenues very substantially in the next five years."

At present, 90% of Adrok's business comes from North America, with only 10% from Australia. The firm has just appointed Australian geophysicist, Barrett Cameron, as its business development agent in Australia, based in Perth. Stove said that Adrok intended to establish a permanent survey crew in Australia in about six months' time. "It's a bit of an inconvenience trying to service this market from Edinburgh," he added.

Adrok's main clients in Australia are the BG Group (UK) and Teck Resources (Canada), which invested £3m in December 2011.

Stove said that notwithstanding recent fears of a slowdown in China, the major client for Australian mineral deposits, the long-term prospects for exploration in Australia remained strong. He said: "It is estimated that about 80-90 of Australia's onshore land mass has not been explored; geologically it follows that there must be as much mineral deposit in the uninhabited parts of central Australia than on the periphery."

The company, which emphasises the green credentials of the non-invasive technology, has appointed Edinburgh-based brand consultancy Stirling Associates "to raise awareness of the technology and the company".

ADR works by detecting and analysing the electromagnetic radiation absorbed or emitted by a substance, giving an image of the shape and contents of substances far beneath the surface. The alleged benefits include low energy use, minimal chemical or biological changes to material under examination, and the ability to operate through air, water and rock.