Russia’s Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller and Austria’s OMV CEO Rainer Seele
signed on April 1 in St Petersburg a number of documents aimed at
further developing the strategic cooperation between the companies,
including an asset swap, the Russian gas monopoly said in a press
release.
The strategic agreements could also help the development of Nord
Stream 2 gas pipeline project from Russia to Germany. Slava Smolyaninov,
a strategist at BCS, reminded that OMV is one of the companies involved
in the project. Moreover, Baumgarten is a key gas hub in Austria.
“Gazprom wants to ensure its market share in Europe. It’s a welcomed
development,” he told New Europe on April 4.
“All EU countries are important for Russia, especially at times when
output at Gazprom is falling seriously every year, it is obviously
important to ensure whatever supply they have for whatever demand they
can get in the EU,” Smolyaninov said.
“Today [April 1], we signed a number of important documents aimed at
further advancing the dialogue with our strategic partner OMV,” Miller
said. “Our relationship is no longer limited to business. By
consistently enhancing our cooperation, we are moving toward our
ambitious goals – increasing the supplies of Russian oil and gas to
Europe and developing the scientific and technical potential of our
companies.”
The signing ceremony was held in the presence of Russia’s Energy
Minister Alexander Novak and Austria’s Finance Minister Hans Joerg
Schelling and UAE Energy Minister Suhail Al Mazrouei.
Gazprom supplies account for a third of European gas consumption. OMV
is Gazprom’s main partner in Austria. On September 4, 2015, Gazprom,
Germany’s BASF, E.ON, ENGIE, OMV, and Royal Dutch Shell inked the
Shareholders Agreement to construct the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline
system with the annual capacity of 55 billion cubic metres from Russia
to Germany across the Baltic Sea. On September 4, 2015, Gazprom and OMV
also signed the Term Sheet regarding an asset swap. If the deal is
completed, OMV will acquire a 24.98% stake in the project for developing
Blocks 4A and 5A of the Achimov deposits at the Urengoyskoye field in
exchange for Gazprom’s participation in OMV assets.
https://neurope.eu/article/gazprom-omv-link-assets-pipeline/