On the day of our meeting, work on the Ždánice 164 project is only just getting underway. The morning is devoted to a safety briefing, checking the individual stages of the project and ensuring that everything goes according to plan. Ivana is the only woman on site and also the sole representative of MND. The responsibility rests entirely with her.

“That’s exactly what I love about this job. I don’t mind coming in at the weekend or at night. You should do what fulfils you – and for me, it’s worked out perfectly. I’m really grateful for that.”

Some people spend years searching for their career path. Ivana already knew exactly what she wanted whilst studying at the Technical University of Košice, where she specialised in drilling, extraction and storage of hydrocarbons. Even then, she knew she wanted to be right at the drilling sites. In the end, only four graduates from her year remained in the field – and she was the only woman. She first joined MND at the storage facility in Uhřice. After a year, however, she moved into production, which had appealed to her from the start. And she has stayed at the drilling sites ever since – this year marks her seventeenth year.

The link between geology and the reality of the well

Technical supervision isn’t just about being present on the rig. Ivana is involved in projects from the very start. She prepares geological and technical specifications, acts as a liaison between geologists and the drilling contractor, contributes to contracts and invoicing, and ensures everything complies with the approved project. When an unexpected situation arises during the work, it is she who must make the decision.

“I check that the work is proceeding according to the project and we deal with any changes that arise. Sometimes you have to make a decision under pressure and rely on your experience to ensure it’s as correct as possible.”

Part of her job involves the stage where decisions are made about the well’s future. Before decommissioning takes place, attempts are made to open up another horizon and check whether it could be exploitable. If so, the well remains. If not, decommissioning and site restoration follow.

Respect isn’t granted, it’s earned

The drilling rig seems like a purely male world, but Ivana doesn’t see it that way. At first, her colleagues may have had to get used to her, but that’s long gone now.

“We’re professionals here. You earn respect through your decisions and hard work.”

She doesn’t feel that anyone judges her simply because she is a woman. In her view, respect must be earned through hard work, regardless of gender. She also recalls colleagues who willingly shared their experience with her in the early days. Because she couldn’t handle heavy equipment, she asked all the more questions and tried to understand the bigger picture. Curiosity became a way for her to build confidence and natural authority. And that curiosity and enthusiasm remain with her to this day.

When she was home in Košice over Christmas, she went to see the geothermal boreholes that MND is carrying out there. “That Bentec was like a Christmas tree to me,” she laughs. Even after seventeen years at MND, Ivana speaks of her work with enthusiasm.

The greatest joy comes when a project goes the whole way from the initial plans to completion.

“When you then stand by a finished well that has yielded positive results, it’s a completely different feeling. It warms you up.”

Work, family and night shifts

A particular point is the fact that her husband works as a drilling foreman. Theoretically, this could mean she might be supervising him at work. “That’s obviously a source of various jokes,” she says with a smile. At the moment, however, he’s working abroad, so they don’t cross paths much professionally.

Working in mining doesn’t offer an ideal schedule. Working weekends, night shifts and quick transfers between projects are a common part of reality. And then there’s the family. Ivana openly admits that balancing both isn’t always easy, especially when her husband is away on work. “It’s tough with the children,” she says, but adds that this experience has taught her to organise her time perfectly. “You can always manage it somehow.”

Sport, empathy and a world beyond the drilling rig

Technology and drilling are just one part of Ivana’s life. The other is sport. She played basketball for almost thirty years and spent part of her career playing professionally. According to her, it was sport that gave her the foundation she still draws on today – responsibility for the team, discipline, the ability to handle pressure and make quick decisions. It taught her that results don’t come by chance, but through systematic work.

Alongside her technical work on drilling rigs, she has long been involved in lactation counselling and supporting women during one of the most sensitive periods of their lives.

“My work on the rig is about technical thinking and decision-making. Lactation counselling is about support, empathy and patience. When women send me photos of their babies or a thank-you note, I know it’s all worth it.”