Gazprom Rejects 'OMV Deal' Reports

Russian Gazprom does not plan to buy a 1/4 share in Austrian oil and gas company OMV, Gazprom Deputy CEO Alexander Medvedev said Friday.

Medvedev thus refuted earlier claims that the state-owned energy concern was eyeing 24.9% of OMV and was in talks with the International Petroleum Investment Co (IPIC) in Abu Dhabi to purchase them.

Interfax quoted Gazprom's deputy chief as calling the reports "untrue".

On Thursday Austrian media revealed Peter Pilz, a green lawmaker, claimed to have "concrete evidence" that the Russian concern was interested in OMV.

Pilz asserted he relied on "informants" in Abu Dhabi, Moscow and Vienna.

He made his allegations after Gazprom and OMV struck a deal earlier this week to construct the South Stream pipeline, which is to lead some 32 billion cubic meters into Austria after becoming operational in 2017.