Russian Gazprom and Austria's OMV aim to enhance natural gas cooperation based on growing demand from Austria, Gazprom announced late Monday.
A working meeting between Alexey Miller, chairman of the Gazprom management committee, and Rainer Seele, chairman of the executive Board of OMV, which took place in St. Petersburg, reviewed the current bilateral trade with has seen Austria increasing gas imports by 35 percent from Jan. 1 through Jan. 27, 2019 compared to the same period last year.
'Gas exports totaled an estimated 1.2 billion cubic meters, an increase of 35 percent from the same period of last year,' Gazprom said.
Miller and Seele also discussed the ongoing construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, a route that would allow further exports from Russia and which the parties agreed would improve Europe's energy security.
OMV is Gazprom's main partner in Austria where the companies cooperate in gas production, transportation and supplies.
Since 2017, OMV has partnered with Gazprom in the Yuzhno-Russkoye oil, gas and condensate field development.
In June 2018, an agreement was signed to extend the existing contract until 2040 between Gazprom Export and OMV for Russian gas supplies to Austria.
In November 2018, an amendment to the contract on gas supplies to Austria was inked. In line with the amendment, gas deliveries to Austria will increase by 1 billion cubic meters per year beyond the contractual amount for the entire contract period.
The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project plans to have an annual capacity of 55 billion cubic meters from Russia to Germany across the Baltic Sea.
By Murat Temizer
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr