Vienna International Energy Industry News

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

Austrian Companies Return to Libya

OMV and Asamer have already resumed business, while Strabag is still evaluating damages.

November 30, 2011

C.A.T. oil Maintains Positive Growth Momentum

The Austrian provider of oil and gas field services achieved an all-time high in operating activity levels. Revenue increased by 14.3% to € 74.7m in the third quarter of the year.

November 29, 2011

OMV Discovered Major Gas Field in Austria

The Austrian oil and gas group OMV found a major gas field in Northern Lower Austria. The gas could cover the domestic gas demand for 30 years.

November 26, 2011

OMV Concludes New Syndicated Loans

The Austrian oil and gas company has signed two syndicated multi-currency credit facilities totaling € 1,680m, which replaces existing facilities maturing in 2012.

November 23, 2011

OMV to Sell Petrol Stations to Slovak Slovnaft

The Austrian oil and gas group OMV has already announced its downsizing strategy in the petrol station business. Slovnaft, a Slovak subsidiary of the Hungarian MOL, shows interest.

November 22, 2011

Siemens Austria Finishes Dutch Gas Power Plant

The contract value for the gas and steam power plant amounts to € 570m. 1.4 million households will be served with electricity.

November 21, 2011

Petrom Accused for Breach of Antritrust Rules

The Romanian subsidiary of the Austrian OMV, Petrom, is confronted with alleged breach of antitrust regulations.

November 16, 2011

Stable Electricity Consumption of Austrian Households

2003–2010: Overall electricity consumption of private households rose by 3%; highest consumption in one-person households and privately owned houses.

November 14, 2011

€ 400m for Solar Power

Tauernwind, which has built a solar power park in the Austrian Alps, intends to expand substantially.

November 12, 2011

BDI: BioGas Operations Successfully Established on the Market

The Styrian company increased earnings to € 3.2m in the first nine months of 2011 in spite of a moderate decline in sales.

November 10, 2011

OMV’s Performance Still Impacted by Libyan Production Shortfalls

The Austrian oil and gas company reported strong results for the first nine months of the year. Group EBIT was up by 11% year-on-year.

November 9, 2011

Capital Increase for Energie AG

The Upper-Austrian regional energy provider will raise its capital by € 200m.

November 5, 2011

OMV Considers € 1.5bn Credit Line

The Austrian oil and gas company is negotiating a major credit facility with a term of five years.

November 4, 2011

S&P: Austrian Energy Suppliers more Robust than Competitors

Southern European providers are especially affected by the current debt crisis. Austrian companies “seem to be immune”, the rating agency says.

November 3, 2011

BP Determines Purchase Contracts With OMV

The Austrian subsidiary of British Petrol ends up contracts with the Austrian oil corporation. Possibly better conditions should be negotiated.

October 31, 2011

Verbund’s Result Influenced by Impairment Tests

The Austrian electricity group presented an improved operating result for the first three quarters of the year despite weak water supply.

October 27, 2011

Verbund´s Subsidiary APG Going Public?

The IPO of Verbund´s subsidiary Austrian Power Grid is being discussed.

October 25, 2011

WIFO Alarms: Petrol Price Has to Increase

The petrol price should be increased annually by six percent. Tobacco should be more expensive as well, claims WIFO’s (Austrian Institute of Economic Research) head Karl Aiginger. However, taxes on labor should fall.

October 24, 2011

OMV Raises Production and Margins

The Austrian oil and gas company increased total production by 3%. Hedges adversely impacted EBIT by € 44m in the period from July to September.

October 21, 2011

OMV Buys Gas Discovery from Norwegian Noreco

Norwegian Energy Company (Noreco) has entered into an agreement to sell its 20 percent share of license on Haltenbanken to Austrian OMV.

October 21, 2011

Lower Profits for Verbund´s Subsidiary Sorgenia

Sorgenia, the Italian Subsidiary of the Austrian energy corporation Verbund, reports a drastic decrease in net income from € 61m to € 18m. Sales were down by 8.5%.

October 18, 2011

Verbund Signed a € 750m Credit Facility

The Austrian energy corporation secures funding for a period of five years. A credit facility from January 2005 has been replaced.

October 18, 2011

Financial Syndicate for Nabucco Arising

The Austrian OeKB intends to conduct a financial consortium for the gas pipeline project Nabucco.

October 15, 2011

OMV Promotes Nabucco Project Abroad

The Austrian oil corporation OMV pushes the gas pipeline project Nabucco in Turkey, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.

October 11, 2011

Verbund´s Subsidiary Expands in Italy

Sorgenia, the Italian subsidiary of the Austrian energy group Verbund, now provides electricity also for private households.

October 11, 2011

Major Pumped-storage Power Plant Commissioned

Austrian Verbund invested € 405m invested in expansion of hydro power. The construction ofa new hydro power plant in the Austrian Alps has been finished.

October 11, 2011

OMV to Resume Oil Production in Libya

The Austrian oil corporation had to abandon oil production in Libya at the beginning of the year. Now, OMV wants to continue its operations.

October 10, 2011

OMV’s Petrom Opens Wind Park in Romania

The subsidiary of the Austrian energy group invested a total of € 90m. The park has an installed capacity of 45 MW.

October 7, 2011

Energieallianz Austria Continues Expansion

The Austrian energy trading company opened its third office in Germany, where supply volumes have increased more than tenfold since 2007.

October 6, 2011

OMV Issues Eurobond

The Austrian oil and gas corporation OMV has further extended its average maturity of debt by issuing a Eurobond with a volume of € 500m, a maturity of 10 years and a coupon of 4.25%.

October 5, 2011

Ukraine Guarantees Gas Supply to Austria

The Ukraine invites Austrian companies to construct liquefied gas terminal.

October 5, 2011

Czech RWE-Subsidiary Plans Pipeline Through Austria

The operators of a gas pipeline “5GL” in the Czech Republic, Austria, Bavaria and Slovenia are considering to build a new pipeline connecting the Souther Czech Republic with Italy and Slovenia.

October 4, 2011

OMV: Withdrawal from Czech Republic Possible

The Austrian energy company plans to leave the Czech petrol station market, reports the Czech Television (CT). Proceedings will be needed for the expansion of the gas business.

October 3, 2011

Bewag Achieved Turnaround

The regional energy provider Bewag turns back to the profit zone. In 2011, CEO Michael Gerbavsits expects a double-digit million figure in profits.

October 3, 2011

Major Bond Issue at EVN

On October 3, 2011, the management board of EVN set the parameters for the issuance of a bond.

October 3, 2011

Nabucco Bids for Gas Field in Azerbaijan

The Asiatic country will publish its decision by the end of 2011. Three candidates submitted their offers.

October 1, 2011

Nabucco Welcomes Bayerngas’ Intent to Become New Shareholder

Nabucco Gas Pipeline International GmbH welcomes Bayerngas’ intent on becoming one of the Nabucco shareholders. Negotiations with the six current shareholders will begin immediately to determine the future share split within the consortium.

October 1, 2011

Voith Hydro Receives Major Order from Russia

The plant manufacturer was awarded a contract for modernization of a Russian hydro power station. Presence in the country will be expanded through a joint venture.

September 29, 2011

Kelag to Invest € 70m in Bosnia-Herzegovina

The Carinthian energy provider signed a contract on the expansion of the hydro power infrastructure in Republika Srpska.

September 29, 2011

Spindelegger Wants New Impetus for Nabucco

The Austrian Vice-Chancellor calls for a quick realization of the pipeline project which is stalling at the moment.

September 28, 2011

Gas Cartel Investigations Continue

Another office has been searched on Wednesday. Austrian oil and gas company OMV does not see itself in the focus of prosecution.

September 28, 2011

Cartel Suspicions Against OMV

The Commission of the EU suspects ten gas companies of market abuse. The Austrian OMV wants to cooperate with the authorities.

September 27, 2011

BP Plans Rival Project to OMV´s Nabucco

The British Petrol Corporation intends to open up new gas fields in the Caspian region. BP is thus a new competitor for the Austrian OMV.

September 27, 2011

Demanding Sale Program for OMV

Gerhard Roiss, CEO of the Austrian oil and gas company OMV announced to sale assets of more than € 1.0bn.

September 26, 2011

OMV Buys 500,000 Barrels of Condensate in Libya

It is the first supply from the war-torn country for the Austrian oil and gas group since March.

September 22, 2011

OMV Strategy Update: “Profitable Growth”

OMV is hosting a Capital Markets Day and Media Summit in Istanbul to present an update on its strategy. The Strategy builds on growing OMV’s upstream portfolio, on expanding its integrated gas business and on restructuring the oil downstream segment

September 21, 2011

Verbund Said to Seek € 750m Credit Line to Refinance

Verbund AG, Austria’s biggest power company, is seeking a € 750m ($ 1bn) revolving credit facility to refinance maturing debt, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.

September 20, 2011

Austria and Azerbaijan Expand Cooperation

An Austrian delegation will hold several meetings with Azerbaijani ministries and private companies.

September 20, 2011

OMV Board Member Werner Auli to Leave Executive Board

After nearly 25 years of active service at the Austrian oil and gas company OMV, Werner Auli will be stepping down as a member of the Executive Board due to health reasons at the end of 2011

September 19, 2011

OMV Publishes New Strategy

Gerhard Roiss became CEO of the Austrian OMV six months ago. This week, Roiss will present the company´s strategy at the capital market´s day in Istanbul, Turkey.

September 19, 2011