OMV AG has begun production at what it says is Austria’s biggest natural gas discovery over the past 40 years, which the company expects will double its output at home when the development reaches capacity.
The Wittau well in Lower Austria will produce 11 terawatt hours (tWh) or about 1 billion cubic meters (35.31 billion cubic feet) of gas phase 1, enough to heat around 100,000 households over 10 years, according to state-backed OMV. OMV expects the first deliveries in winter 2026-27.
The 2023 discovery holds total recoverable resources of 48 tWh or approximately 4.2 billion cubic meters, which would extend domestic gas production “long into the future”, OMV said in a press release Monday.
“Once fully developed, the project in Wittau is expected to double OMV’s gas production in Austria”, OMV said.
As of last year Romania was OMV’s biggest gas producing country having contributed 110.9 Bcf, followed by Norway (85.5 Bcf), New Zealand (26.2 Bcf), Iraq’s Kurdistan (18.8 Bcf) and Austria (16.4 Bcf). OMV produced 265.6 Bcf of gas in 2025, according to its annual report.
Wittau “strengthens our gas diversification strategy by increasing the share of domestic natural gas in our portfolio”, said chief executive Alfred Stern.
“At the same time, gas remains a crucial energy source – helping to secure supply today while simultaneously supporting the transition to a clean, renewable energy system”.
OMV added it is “actively and successfully pursuing a diversified gas strategy, with domestic production from Wittau complementing its existing portfolio and strengthening supply resilience”.
The project is expected to cost EUR 150 million ($174.29 million) in the first phase. That consists of EUR 70 million for drilling and EUR 80 million for infrastructure and equipment.
“OMV also sees further investment potential of roughly EUR 500 million in the region, subject to market conditions and future decision-making”, it added.
OMV aims to grow its production to 400,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day (boed) – half liquids and half gas – by 2030. Last year it averaged 305,000 boed, with liquids accounting for 58 percent and gas 42 percent, according to its annual report. OMV is focusing on North, Central and Eastern Europe, in a production investment realignment that saw the company divest its Malaysian assets in 2024.
OMV had proven reserves of 880 million boe at the end of 2025. Proven and probable reserves stood at 1.39 billion boe, according to OMV’s annual report.
Its biggest growth project is Neptun Deep on Romania’s side of the Black Sea, estimated to cost up to EUR 4 billion. The largest natural gas project and the first deep offshore development in Romania, Neptun Deep is expected to produce the equivalent of roughly 30 times the current annual demand of about 4.3 million households in Romania, according to operator and 50 percent owner OMV Petrom. OMV owns 51.16 percent in OMV Petrom.
Expected to start production 2027, Neptun Deep is estimated to hold around 100 billion cubic meters of recoverable gas. OMV expects to have a production share of 70,000 boed.