Vienna International Energy Industry News

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

EVN: Transfer of Shares

EVN carries out and terminates release of own shares to employees.

August 8, 2013

Moody´s Downgrades Austrian Verbund

The rating agency lowers the rating of the Austrian energy group from „A3“ to „Baa1“.

August 2, 2013

Austria: Verbund to Take Austerity Measures

Only a few months ago, CEO of Verbund Wolfgang Anzengruber promised that “2013 will become the best year in the company’s history”. However, there have been bad news for the energy company ever since.

August 1, 2013

Austria: Operative Losses for Verbund

Quarters 1–2/2013: Verbund improves EBITDA and Group result considerably. In total, the water supply, asset swap and impairments have a favourable impact on results.

July 31, 2013

EVN Forced to Lower Electriciy Prices in Bulgaria

Austrian energy provider EVN is ordered by the regulator to drop electricity prices.

July 30, 2013

Czech Republic: US Export-Import Bank Offers Loan for Temelin

The official export credit agency of the United States offers a loan under the condition that Westinghouse wins the tender.

July 30, 2013

Bulgaria to Lower Electricity Prices by August

Bulgaria will lower the price of electricity on August 1st

July 30, 2013

Gazprom Acquires Kirghiz Gas Network

In return for a symbolic purchase price, the Kirghiz natural gas network is taken over completely by Gazprom. The Russian energy giant intends to invest billions of rubel in infrastructure.

July 29, 2013

Czech Republic: CEZ to Postpone Completion of Temelin

Czech energy company CEZ announced that the decision for the finalization of nuclear power plant Temelin will take at least a year longer than planned.

July 25, 2013

Serbia and Bulgaria to Team Up in Energy Policy

Serbia and Bulgaria discuss South Stream, Nis-Sofia gas interconnection and the completion of the section of Corridor 10

July 24, 2013

OMV: Problems in Libya Slow Down Production

The total production of OMV in the second quarter of 2013 has decreased compared to the same period of time in the previous year and the first quarter of the current year.

July 24, 2013

Renewable Energy: Only Decent Growth Rates

2012: Share of eligible renewable energy consumption in Austria increased by 1% .

July 19, 2013

Bulgaria: South Stream Offers 6,000 New Jobs

South Stream Bulgaria´s CEO Georgi Gegov stresses the economic effect of the new gas pipeline from Russia to Western Europe.

July 18, 2013

Russian Economy Shows Insufficient Diversification

The Russian economy is primarily based on commodities, economists at the Moscow Higher School of Economics report. In the medium term, Russia has no growth potential, the experts say.

July 18, 2013

OMV: Major Gas Discovery in Australia

Successful appraisal of the Zola gas discovery offshore Australia.

July 16, 2013

ExxonMobil Signs Agreement with Ukrainian Government

ExxonMobil regards 45bn cubic meters of gas production realistic.

July 15, 2013

Serbia to Invest € 10bn in Energy Sector

Serbia will invest € 10 bn in the development of the energy sector in the next eight years.

July 12, 2013

OMV Petrom Sold Subsidiary

OMV Petrom sold its subsidiary Petrom Distribuţie Gaze SRL.

July 11, 2013

OMV to Shut Down Production in Libya

Statement on OMV’s production in Libya.

July 11, 2013

Russia to Reduce Oil Export

Russia produces more oil which is increasingly used in the country itself. Refineries outside of Russia do not fear immediate bottlenecks in the supply of oil.

July 11, 2013

Austria: EVN Hits Brakes with Expansion of Solar Energy

The fast expansion of solar electricity in the province of Lower Austria is straining the power supply system. EVN is therefore limiting the power supply for some projects. Plant operators are infuriated.

July 11, 2013

Dispute about Ina in Hungary and Croatia Escalates

The Croatian prosecution is once more investigating due to bribe payment to former Prime Minister Sanader. Head of Mol, Hernadi, is faced with a possible detention order.

July 11, 2013

Gazprom Runs Risk Of Losing Leading Position

Currently, only state-controlled energy giant Gazprom is permitted to export gas. Due to cooperations with French Total and Chinese enterprises, Moscow now intends to open the market.

July 9, 2013

Ukraine Looking for Alternative Gas Suppliers

Gas supply from Europe to Ukraine may stimulate pricing of Russian import.

July 8, 2013

OMV Continues Expansion in Norway

OMV has been awarded six additional offshore exploration licenses in Norway, acting as operator for two of them.

July 5, 2013

OMV Petrom Set World Record in Casing Drilling.

OMV Petrom, the largest oil and gas producer in Southeastern Europe, set a world record in the field of casing drilling in terms of diameter of drilling column and depth.

July 5, 2013

Visegrad Four Support Ukraine’s EU Integration

At the V4 summit in Wisla/Poland Slovak President Gasparovic announced yesterday that the V4 countries are interested in Ukraine’s successful European integration, particularly in signing the Assciation Agreement with the EU.

July 4, 2013

Hungarian MOL to Invest $ 38m in Romanian Exploration

Hungarian oil and gas company MOL plans to invest $ 38m in the exploration and production of hydrocarbon resources in Western Romania.

July 3, 2013

Rosneft to Take Over Itera Completely

Russian oil producer Rosneft has taken over gas corporation Itera completely and now wants to compete against energy giant Gazprom.

July 2, 2013

Poland To Enhance Supervision Over State Companies

Around twenty state-controlled enterprises will be watched more closely.

July 2, 2013

Croatia To Issue Licenses for Exploration of Oil and Gas

Croatia plans to issue lucrative concession for the production of oil and gas from 2014 on.

July 2, 2013

TAP to Deliver Greece, Italy and CESEE

Shah Deniz targets Italian and Southeastern European gas markets through Trans Adriatic Pipeline.

July 1, 2013

Nabucco: Flop for OMV and EU

Petrom will resume exploration drilling in offshore Black Sea block.

June 27, 2013

Austria: Harsh Blow for OMV

The pipeline “Nabucco”, a project with Austrian energy enterprise OMV taking the lead, will not receive gas from the gas field Sha Deniz II. This was announced by the mineral oil company on Wednesday.

June 26, 2013

Ukraine Could Become Energy Hub in Europe

According to EU Enlargement Commissioner Füle, Ukraine is an important partner of the EU.

June 26, 2013

OMV Starts Seismic Acquisition in Bulgaria

OMV and partners start seismic acquisition activities offshore Bulgaria.

June 25, 2013

US: Active Investor in Romania

US companies remained active investors in Romania last year. Particulary the IT sector, automotive industry and oil/gas sector are increasingly strengthening their local position. Foreign direct investments from the US came at more than $ 1bn.

June 24, 2013

Rosneft to Supply China Over 25 Years

Russia’s Rosneft agreed to double oil supplies to China, in a deal worth $ 270bn.

June 24, 2013

Russia: Putin Changes Personnel at Ministry of Economics

In the light of the menancing recession, Russian president Vladimir Putin has reorganized the leaders of economic policy-makers.

June 24, 2013

OMV Signs Deal with ADNOC

OMV signs upstream exploration agreement with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.

June 24, 2013

Russia to Improve Relations to China

Russia turns its back on Europe and starts focusing on Asia instead in regard to oil export.

June 21, 2013

EVN Arbitration Proceedings Against Bulgaria to Start

EVN AG commences investment treaty arbitration against the Republic of Bulgaria.

June 21, 2013

Eder Appeals for Reindustrialization in Europe

In an interview with Austrian daily „Kurier“, Wolfgang Eder, CEO of Austrian steel producer voestalpine talks about the future of the European steel industry and the differences to the US energy policy.

June 20, 2013

Hungary: Taxes to Be Raised

Shortly before the parliamentary summer recess taxes were raised by the government of Viktor Orban.

June 18, 2013

Lopatka: "EU Enlargement is a Driver for Reforms and Rule Of Law"

State Secretary Lopatka on DARUM EUROPA information tour.

June 18, 2013

EVN to Release Shares To Employees

EVN plans to release own shares to employees.

June 14, 2013

Changes at EVN: Reduction of the Board

The Supervisory Board of EVN AG has decided in its meeting on June 12th, not to fill the vacant position due to the retirement of the Member of the Board Herbert Pöttschacher.

June 13, 2013

Verbund to Write Off Gas Power Plants

During an analyst’s conference in London and after the closing of the stock exchange, energy company Verbund announced dampened earning prospects.

June 13, 2013

Verbund Puts Wind Farms in Romania into Operation

One of the largest onshore wind farms of Europe with a 225 megawatt capacity near the Black Sea coast.

June 13, 2013

Gazprom Withdraws from Greek Privatization Offer

The months of courtship were in vain. The Russian enterprises Gazprom and Sintez allowed the period prescribed for the privatization of Greek gas company Depa to expire.

June 12, 2013