OMV Aktiengesellschaft
OMV AG english

Austrian natural gas cooperation a reality Ad-hoc-announcement transmitted by DGAP. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ——————————————————————————– OMV, Wiengas, EVN, OÖ Ferngas, BEGAS and Linz AG agree to establish a joint gas sales company for industrial and big commercial customers After intensive negotiations between the biggest players in the Austrian natural gas market an agreement was reached on February 26, 2002, to respond to the liberalized European gas market with a strong Austrian cooperation. OMV Erdgas GmbH, OÖ Ferngas and EnergieAllianz Partner EVN, Wiengas, BEGAS und Linz AG, have decided to set up a joint sales company for industrial and big commercial customers. OMV Erdgas GmbH will hold a 50% stake in the company and the participating gas distribution companies will together hold the other 50%. The necessary cartel application will be submitted within the next few weeks. The goal of this cooperative effort is to create a powerful Austrian natural gas sales company by combining the international know-how of OMV with the close customer contacts of the regional gas distributors, and this can be a successful contender in the common European market. The partners expect this cooperation to improve their position in international competition and that this will lead to long-term growth in natural gas sales. The cooperation partners emphasize that this successful agreement in the gas business has established the basis for an extensive solution for Austria. For further information, please contact: OMV Presse:Bettina Gneisz Tel. 0043 1 40440 21660; e-mail:bettina.gneisz@omv.com Investoren/Analysten: Brigitte H. Juen Tel. 0043 1 40440 21622; e-mail: investor.relations@omv.com Internet home page:http://www.omv.com Weber Shandwick Square Mile Claudine Cartwright, London Tel: +44 20 7950 2862; E-Mail: ccartwright@webershandwick.com Golin Harris Ludgate Allan Jordan, New York Tel: +1 (212) 697 9191; E-Mail: ajordan@golinharris.com end of ad-hoc-announcement (c)DGAP 28.02.2002 Issuer’s information/explanatory remarks concerning this ad-hoc-announcement: It was agreed that no further details would be disclosed for now. These will be made public when the negotiations, which are still in progress, are concluded. ——————————————————————————– WKN: 874641; ISIN: AT0000743059; Index: ATX Listed: Amtlicher Handel in Wien; Amtlicher Handel in Frankfurt und Hamburg; Freiverkehr in Berlin, Hamburg und Stuttgart 280832 Feb 02