Norway ready to mull Gazprom's purchase of 38.5% in OMV Norge

MOSCOW, Apr 20 (PRIME) -- Norway is ready to study a bid of Russian gas giant Gazprom to buy 38.5% in OMV Norge, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Sergei Donskoi told reporters on Thursday.

“We have agreed with the energy minister that we will return to the question and discuss it during my visit to Oslo at the end of May. As of today, Norway is studying the proposal,” he said.

“As of today, Gazprom expressed interest in buying the stake. The Norwegian side said that Gazprom will have to submit materials to corresponding regulators that will consider them and make a decision,” he said, adding that Gazprom has not yet submitted the documents.

Austria’s OMV and Gazprom signed a binging agreement on an asset swap deal in December 2016. Under the deal, OMV will receive a 24.98% stake in a project to develop two fields of Achimov deposits of the Urengoiskoye field. In exchange, Gazprom will receive a 38.5% stake in Norway’s OMV Norge AS. But media reported earlier, that the stake in OMV Norge may be limited to 25%.

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