Vienna International Energy Industry News

Read the latest headlines about developments in the international energy industry in Vienna and Austria

OMV Group Reports Operating Result of EUR 688 Mln in 2017

OMV AG is reporting group results for 2017. The operating result increased by 67% to EUR 688 mn. Net income attributable to stockholders amounted to EUR 367 mn. Data includes latest two acquisitions of a 24.99% share in the Yuzhno Russkoye natural gas field located in Western Siberia (see picture) and the purchase of 40% in SMATRICS, Austria’s complete provider for all services related to electro - mobility. See OMV Group Report January – December and Q4 2017 including condensed consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2017 and Investor Relations Video below.

February 21, 2018

Schoeller Bleckmann Oilfield Preliminary Result for 2017

The 2017 financial year of Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment AG (SBO), listed on the ATX market of the Vienna Stock Exchange, was characterised by the upswing seen in North America. The strategic expansion of the Well Completion business the year before therefore turned out to be the perfect choice to make. Against the continued weak market environment internationally, SBO closed financial year 2017 on a clearly positive operating result.

January 16, 2018

Andritz Receives 90 Million Euros Order for Power Plant Renewal in Canada

The listed technology group Andritz has landed a major order for the renovation of a hydroelectric power station in Canada. "The order value is over 90 million euros," said Andritz by press release. The Styrian company will therefore renew six of the eight turbine units of a power plant in the province of Saskatchewan for the Canadian electricity supplier SaskPower.

October 31, 2017

Oil Price Hardly Matters for Russian Country Risk

The oil price decline has created headwinds for the Russian economy. However, the risk of doing business in Russia as determined not only by economic but also by political and structural factors has not changed substantially and there is therefore no evidence that the oil price decline had a significant impact on Russian country risk.

November 2, 2016

OSCE: "Reliable, Affordable and Sustainable Energy Supplies are Prerequisite for Stability and Security"

Energy experts from the OSCE Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation, representing both government institutions and private sector companies, will begin a week-long field study of sustainable energy in Austria and Germany.

July 12, 2016

Activ Solar Files for Reorganisation in Austria, Debts Reach EUR 500 Million

Vienna-based Activ Solar GmbH announced that it is bankrupt and that it has filed for reorganization in Austria due to its investment exposure in Ukraine. The company has amassed debts to the tune of EUR 500 million.

February 10, 2016

Klaus Toepfer to Give Keynote Speech at Economic and Environmental Forum in Vienna

Good governance in the OSCE area, reinforcing security and stability through co-operation, will be theme of the 24th Economic and Environmental Forum and the 1st Preparatory Meeting taking place on 25 and 26 January in Vienna. The meeting will focus on good environmental governance to enable sustainable economic development.

January 22, 2016

US Company Contour Moves European Headquarters from Paris to Vienna

The Vienna-based European headquarters will be the strategic centre for all thermal and renewable energy facilities in Austria, Italy, Czech Republic, Romania, Poland, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Armenia, Spain, Northern Ireland and Ukraine.

December 11, 2015

Historic Iran Nuclear Deal Likely to be Announced Early Tuesday

Officials negotiating in Vienna's Palais Coburg say nothing is confirmed, but a deal will possibly come in the early hours of the morning. Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said an Iran nuclear deal would not be ready to be announced July 13, as China’s Foreign Minister urged the P5+1 and Iran to finalize the accord.

July 13, 2015

OPEC in Vienna Decides to Keep Production Unchanged

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) today hosted its 167th Meeting of the OPEC Conference at the OPEC Secretariat in Vienna. Participants included OPEC Heads of Delegation and the Secretary General. There were some expectations that the production goal of 30 million barrels a day could move higher. However, the key issue the market was looking for will remain at 30 million barrels a day.

June 5, 2015

Strabag Builds EUR 37 Million Power Plant in Switzerland

Strabag AG is building the Rhone Oberwald run-of-the-river hydroelectric plant in the Swiss canton of Valais. The contract value of € 37 million comprises the construction of the necessary tunnels, galleries and underground chambers.

June 5, 2015

OPEC Member Countries Discuss Global Petroleum Development Strategies in Vienna

The 6th OPEC International Seminar, with the theme "Petroleum - An Engine for Global Development", aims to build on the previous events from the past decade. It is currently taking place at the Imperial Hofburg Palace in Vienna. The Seminar intends to underpin OPEC’s commitment to stabilize the international oil market by promoting cooperation and dialogue with stakeholders around the world.

June 3, 2015

Update: OMV Appoints Outsider Rainer Seele as New CEO

The head of German oil and gas producer Wintershall is going to transfer to Austria’s listed oil and gas concern OMV as of 1 July 2015, taking the place of Gerhard Roiss as CEO. The incumbent CEO is going to leave the company on 30 June. Seele’s appointment as new helmsman of the Austrian firm was hailed as a "corner stone for the company”, by supervisory board head Rudolf Kemler during the press conference. Seele has been appointed for three years and his tenure may get extended by another two years. During his time in Wintershall he managed to raise production by over a half to 385,000 boe/d. Seele is a German citizen. He did not want to disclose his plans for OMV.

March 30, 2015

OMV Appoints Outsider Rainer Seele as New CEO

The Supervisory Board of OMV appointed Rainer Seele (54) as the new Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of OMV. Rainer Seele has accepted the appointment. He will assume the position effective July 1, 2015 for a three-year period, with an extension option for OMV for further two years. The current Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO Gerhard Roiss will resign from his position on June 30, 2015 as previously announced.

March 27, 2015

Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment AG / Sound result 2014 - High profitability in a volatile environment - Proposed dividend EUR 1.50 per share

Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment AG (SBO), generated sound results with high profitability in the 2014 financial year. Consolidated sales rose by 6.6%, to MEUR 488.6 (2013: MEUR 458.6). EBITDA grew by 9.3%, to MEUR 149.3 (2013: MEUR 136.5) and earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) before one-off effects went up by 9.2%, to MEUR 106.7 (2013: MEUR 97.7). The EBITDA margin was 30.6% (2013: 29.8%), the EBIT margin before one-off effects was 21.8% (2013: 21.3%).

March 19, 2015

OMV Aktiengesellschaft / Announcement pursuant to section 82 para 9 Austrian Stock Exchange Act

OMV Aktiengesellschaft ("OMV" or "Company") intends to transfer treasury shares to members of the Executive Board and senior executives as well as potentials of OMV under the (i) Long Term Incentive Plan (LTIP) 2012 and the (ii) Matching Share Plan (MSP) 2014, based on the resolution of OMV's Supervisory Board of March 18, 2015 and the report pursuant to section 65 para 1b in conjunction with sections 171 para 1 and 153 para 4 Stock Corporation Act which was published on February 26, 2015.

March 18, 2015

Verbund Raises Earnings Forecast and Dividend for 2014

Verbund AG announced today that the earnings forecast for financial year 2014 is being raised. Verbund expects EBITDA of around €800m (previous forecast: €770m) and a Group result of around €125m (previous forecast: €85m) in financial year 2014. The planned dividend continues to be based on a payout ratio of approximately 50% of the adjusted group result which in 2014 will be around €210m (previous forecast: €190m).

January 22, 2015

State Holding ÖIAG to be Renamed ÖBIB

Austrian state holding ÖIAG is going to be turned into a limited liability company (GesmbH) called "ÖBIB" Österreichische Bundes- und Industriebeteiligungsholding, which will be permitted to make new acquisitions and which will report directly to the Finance Ministry.

January 13, 2015

Verbund Withdraws from Bulgaria

Verbund withdraws from Bulgaria by selling its 16 MW wind farm on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast to Inwind Sp Ltd, a project company of Bulgarian Inovent Holding AD. The transaction is scheduled to close by the end of 2014. Both companies agreed on not disclosing any financial details of the transaction.

October 30, 2014

BioEnergy International Expands Business in the USA

Listed technology company BDI BioEnergy International AG has been awarded with a contract for a plant optimisation project in California by Crimson Renewable Energy LP. The contract volume is in the lower single-digit million Euro range.

October 20, 2014

OMV's Gerhard Roiss Resigns from his Position as Chairman and CEO

Tonight, the Supervisory Board of OMV AG and Gerhard Roiss have agreed that Mr. Roiss resigns from his position as Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO as of June 30, 2015. The chief executive is to step down two years earlier than expected. Also the energy group’s management team will be overhauled.

October 14, 2014

Dispute at OMV Supervisory Board

Listed oil and gas group OMV and the state holding ÖIAG are involved in a dispute concerning a new executive board member of OMV. A decision is expected during the supervisory board meeting slated for Tuesday.

October 13, 2014

OMV Executive Board Members Roiss and Floren have to Leave

Bang at Austria's largest industrial conglomerate. The contracts of OMV CEO Gerhard Roiss and fellow board member Hans-Peter Floren are apparently terminated prematurely.

October 9, 2014

Italian SNAM to Acquire TAG Gas Pipeline for EUR 505 Mln

The Italian gas pipeline operator SNAM is going to buy the alpine Trans-Austria-Gasleitung GmbH (TAG), a pipeline running through Austria and the Alps. The price of the pipeline stretch amounts to EUR 505 million, Italian media reports. Austria’s listed oil and gas group OMV holds an 11-percent stake in TAG.

September 15, 2014

Ederer Resigns as Supervisory Board Member of OIAG

Brigitte Ederer resigns as supervisory board member and leaves state holding company OIAG.

September 9, 2014

Voestalpine to Supply Linepipe Plates for the Second South Stream Pipeline

This year sees the voestalpine Group securing its third major contract in the pipeline business. Following the first, now completed, contract for the Russian-European pipeline project South Stream, and for Rota 3, a pipeline project in Brazil, voestalpine will deliver 120,000 tons of sour-gas-resistant, high-strength linepipe plates for the second South Stream pipeline by spring 2015. The South Stream contract is not affected by sanctions. Further negotiations are also currently underway concerning extremely challenging pipeline projects.

September 5, 2014

Hydrogen: OMV to Invest EUR 20 Mln in Key Technology

OMV is currently conducting intensive research on hydrogen as alternative fuel. According to CEO Gerhard Roiss hydrogen is already part of OMV’s everyday business. The group earmarkes around EUR 20 mln for hydrogen projects.

August 4, 2014

OMV Petrom Finalizes Modernization of Petrobrazi Refinery

OMV Petrom, the largest oil and gas producer in South-Eastern Europe, has announced the successful finalization of the modernization process of Petrobrazi refinery, performed during 2010-2014. Total investment in the modernization process amounted to around EUR 600 mln. The main target of the investment program was to increase competitiveness. OMV Petrom is now able to process the entire Romanian crude production of OMV Petrom in a single refinery.

July 24, 2014

Siegfried Wolf New OIAG Supervisory Board Chairman

OIAG's supervisory board has appointed Siegfried Wolf as the new Chairman of the supervisory board.

June 27, 2014

Analysis: The South Stream Gas Pipeline

Due to the signing of the South Stream agreement between OMV and Gazprom for the Austrian part of the pipeline during Putin's visit to Vienna, we take a look at the background of the project.

June 25, 2014

OMV to Invest EUR 500 Mio in Tunisia

The Nawara project underlines Tunisia’s significant role in OMV’s portfolio and it is a decisive stage of the key Nawara gas field development project.

May 30, 2014

High Potential for Austrian Investments in Moldova

Austria is one of the most active countries in the CESEE region ranking first in foreign direct investments (FDI) in many countries.

May 22, 2014 · Updated: May 22, 2014; 13:05

Austrian Prinzhorn Holding to Invest Massively in Hungary

Prinzhorn Holding will build its own power plant in Hungary to supply its paper factory in Dunaujvaros.

May 21, 2014

Gas Deal: China to Invest $22Bln, Russia to Invest $55Bln

Russia’s overall investment on delivering gas to China is $55 billion and China’s investment is estimated at around $22 billion according to a contract signed by the two countries in Shanghai, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday.

May 21, 2014

OMV to Receive Further Gas Discounts by Gazprom

As reported by Austrian daily “WirtschaftsBlatt” (Thursday issue), Austrian oil company OMV will soon sign a deal with Russian state-controlled Gazprom.

May 14, 2014

OMV Aktiengesellschaft - Quarterly Report

OMV Aktiengesellschaft is declaring the following financial reports below.

May 13, 2014

Czech Republic: CEZ Losing With RWE Contract?

A gas contract with German RWE is causing the Czech energy group losses in the billions.

May 12, 2014

Czech Arca Capital to Invest in Romania

As reported by daily E15, Czech investment group Arca Capital is planning to make a huge investment in Romania.

May 12, 2014

CEZ Bulgaria in “Full Compliance with the Law”

CEZ, along with other foreign utilities in Bulgaria, does not regard itself being obliged to pay a certain amount to state-controlled utility NEK.

May 9, 2014

MOL Group Acquires 208 Filling Stations in Three CEE Countries

MOL Group’s retail network grows to almost 2,000 service stations across 11 countries. The Group’s market presence expands significantly in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania. Retail network expansion further strengthens MOL Group’s role in CEE.

May 9, 2014

MOL: Oil Supply to Hungary not Endangered

According to Hungarian oil and gas enterprise MOL, the supply to Hungary is not endangered by the delivery stop of Russian oild products passing through Ukraine.

May 9, 2014

Calls for European Energy Union Become Louder

Polish PM Tusk called for a European energy union. His Hungarian counterpart supports the idea.

May 9, 2014

Verbund: Trying to Get Rid of Sorgenia

The Austrian utility Verbund announced not being willing to invest any further money into loss-making Italian energy group Sorgenia.

May 8, 2014

Do Taxes Justify a Relocation of Business?

Tax sensitive business operations should be relocated to other areas if necessary, according to the head of Erste Bank Austria.

April 24, 2014

Eder: Policy-Makers Have to Make Decisions

Wolfgang Eder, CEO of Austrian steel manufacturer voestalpine, claims not to have heard anything from the Austrian policy makers after he raised criticizm with regard to the Austrian business location.

April 24, 2014

Romania: Key Interest Rate Remains Unchanged

The central bank of Romania has left the main interest rate unchanged.

March 31, 2014

Austria: “Council of the Wise“ for Hypo Group

Instead of a parliamentary investigation committee the coalition expressed its wish to appoint a “Council of the Wise” for the the assessment of the ailing bank’s nationalization.

February 25, 2014

Hungary Amending Figures of Budget Deficit

Hungarian Finance and Economy Minister Mihaly Varga announced that the budget deficit of 2013 will be below the target after it was lowered dramatically.

January 8, 2014

Czech Republic: New Government Confirmed

Seven weeks after the national elections, the Czech Social Democrats (CSSD) have agreed to form a coalition with ANO and the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL).

December 11, 2013

Austria: Federation of Trade Unions Warns of Privatizations

The Austrian Federation of Trade Unions warns the Austrian state not to push through with further privatizations.

December 11, 2013