Uchenna Izundu
International Editor
LONDON, Aug. 28 -- To boost Austria's energy supply, OMV AG has started natural gas production from Strasshof and Ebenthal fields in the Vienna basin.
The company's domestic production will increase by 20%—about 40,000 boe/d—until 2010. OMG said it cost €210 million to bring the fields on stream.
Strasshof, which holds an estimated 4 billion cu m of reserves, was discovered in 2005. OMV has since drilled four additional wells and spent €175 million to construct gas processing facilities and expand the existing sour gas treatment plant at Aderklaa. At the first expansion stage, Strasshof's maximum production will be 4,000 boe/d—20% of the company's overall production.
Ebenthal, which has gas reserves of 1.5 billion cu m, cost €35 million to develop. OMV built gas treatment facilities and revamped the Auersthal compressor station. A 16-km pipeline will link the field to the compressor station. Ebenthal output will hit 3,000 boe/d in September, which will represent 15% of OMV's domestic gas production.
OMV will invest €250 million in 2008 and again in 2009 to boost Austrian oil and gas production for long-term supply security by optimizing production of its mature oil fields as well as exploring for new reserves.
"Environmentally sound production technologies and low emissions are particularly important for OMV," a company spokesperson said. "With Baumgarten becoming an increasingly important Central European gas hub, additional gas storage opportunities are being investigated."
At the end of 2007, OMV's Austrian reserves were 143 million boe, with natural gas reserves of 14.8 billion cu m and crude oil reserves of 56 million bbl.
Contact Uchenna Izundu at [email protected].
