Career with … Geodynamics and Sedimentology

Geologist Darko Spahic studied from 2007 to 2010 at the Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy at the University of Vienna. Now he works as a Senior Consultant Geologist at Schlumberger office located in Moscow, Russia.

uni:view: What is your current position and your field of work?
Darko Spahic: I am a Senior Consultant Geologist for the exploration of Hydrocarbons at the Schlumberger office located in Moscow, Russia. My task in this oilfield service company is to help clients find and locate hydrocarbon fields across Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and East-Southeast Europe. Beside the guidance of clients on the numerous projects and consulting, my task is to teach clients, write scientific papers, make commercial presentations and business development. Up to this moment, I collected substantial experience across different geographical regions: Algeria, Angola, Austria, Italy, Libya, Serbia, Spain, Tunisia, Georgia, Vietnam and many hydrocarbon provinces across the Russian Federation – from the Arctic to the Black Sea. I speak fluently English, Russian, German, Serbo-Croatian, and Italian.

uni:view: What did you study at the University of Vienna?
Spahic: I studied at the Department of Geodynamics and Sedimentology and did my PhD in the Structural Processes Group. I was especially interested in the application of seismic data which is the main tool for hydrocarbon exploration. In retrospect I found the entire time spent at the University of Vienna and the Structural Processes Group very exciting!

uni:view: Can you apply things you learned in your studies at work?
Spahic: I apply almost every aspect of the subjects that I studied in a daily routine. I use especially Quantitative Structural Geology, Seismic Interpreation, Basin Analysis and  Geology of Hydrocarbons.

uni:view: Are you working in  your "dream job"?
Spahic: I am very happy with my current position and can say that I am working in my "dream job". Exploration of hydrocarbons and the analysis of processes in Mother Earth is something that always motivated me.


If you are interested in the universe or want to understand the processes that formed the earth's mountain ranges, the Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy provides the answers.
Information on the degree programmes



uni:view:
Did you already meet people from your current field of work during your studies?

Spahic: During my PhD studies I met a lot of people from the Oil & Gas Industry and that are somehow connected with the University of Vienna.

uni:view: What is your personal advice to students of your subject?
Spahic: My advice to fresh students is that "motivation is the key!". Once high self-motivation exists, it is quite easy to jump over numerous obstacles on the journey.


Darko Spahic worked from October 2007 to October 2010 as a Structural Geologist and Research Associate at University of Vienna and did his PhD during this time. Afterwards he started his current job as a Senior Consulting Geologist in the field of Exploration Technology at Schlumberger Information Solutions. He has 13 years of multidisciplinary geological experience collected in Algeria, Angola, Austria, Italy, Libya, Serbia, Spain, Tunisia, Georgia, Vietnam and many hydrocarbon provinces across the Russian Federation. He keeps in contact with his colleagues from Vienna and published only recently together with Prof. Bernhard Grasemann from the Department of Geodynamicx and Sedimentology at the University of Vienna a paper in the Journal of Structural Geology: "Identifying fault segments from 3D fault drag analysis (Vienna Basin, Austria)".