Volker is Professor of Practice in Geology at the Ali I. Al-Naimi Petroleum Engineering Research Center at KAUST since 2017.  His research aims at securing future energy supply with three main thrusts: 1) refine the understanding of modern and ancient carbonate depositional environments and associated diagenesis for improved perception of reservoir heterogeneities; 2) advance the quantification of the complex pore networks of Arabian carbonate reservoirs and its impact on reservoir performance; and 3) explore and develop geothermal energy in Arabian countries with special focus on desalination and cooling applications.

Before coming to KAUST he worked more than 30 years as carbonate geology expert for various Shell companies in the Netherlands, Malaysia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates, where he was Exploration Manager until 2015. In 2016-17 he was Managing Director of Nordic Geothermal LLC, a Dubai based consulting company promoting the use of geothermal energy in Arabia.

He has extensive technical experience covering both exploration and production aspects of the energy business—hydrocarbons and geothermal.  His technical focus has been on stratigraphy, especially chemo-stratigraphy, facies architecture, diagenesis, core analysis including digital rock physics, rock typing and property upscaling, 3-D reservoir modeling and field development planning.

Volker has organized and led international conferences and innovative core workshops in the Middle East. He is an accomplished fieldtrip leader for geological outcrops and modern analogues, has published widely and was AAPG Distinguished International Lecturer in 2008.

Volker earned his bachelor degree at the Albert Ludwigs University in Freiburg, Germany, his Master Degree in Engineering Geology at the University of Michigan, USA and his PhD in Marine Geology at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Miami.