Gazprom and Austria Discuss Alternative Russian Gas Routes to Europe

Led by Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Company's Management Committee, Gazprom's delegation paid a working visit on April 23 to the Republic of Austria. Vienna hosted a working meeting between Alexey Miller and Gerhard Roiss, Chief Executive Officer of OMV. The parties addressed the issues of Russian natural gas supply to Austria. Gazprom's activities as of a reliable supplier largely contributing to the Austrian and European energy security were highly appreciated. It was pointed out that the current geopolitical situation proved the relevancy of alternative Russian gas routes to European consumers.

As part of the visit, Alexey Miller met with Reinhold Mitterlehner, Austrian Federal Minister of Economy. The parties looked into the status of the Russian-Austrian interaction in the energy sector. It was noted that the years of mutually beneficial partnership played a special part in strengthening the economic ties between the two countries and that further cooperation in the gas sector had considerable development prospects.

Summing up the meetings, Alexey Miller said that in order to optimize the South Stream project and with the account of Gazprom's existing contract portfolio, we agreed to the proposal of the Austrian party to look into the possibility of constructing a gas pipeline section in Austria within the existing intergovernmental agreement, simultaneously with the Slovenian section.

Background

For over 40 years OMV has been the main business partner of Gazprom in Austria and more than 187 billion cubic meters of Russian natural gas have been delivered to the country over this period, with 5.23 billion cubic meters supplied in 2013.

By PennEnergy Editorial Staff
Source: Gazprom