OMV bets on chemicals
The Austrian company is accelerating its pivot from the upstream to the down
Central European oil and gas firm OMV completed at the start of November the $4.7bn acquisition of an additional 39pc share in Austrian chemical company Borealis, increasing its stake to 75pc. The deal makes OMV the largest producer of olefins in Europe and one of the largest polyolefin producers worldwide. The firm’s CEO, Rainer Seele, hails the move as “a decisive step in our transformation to position OMV successfully for the future”, both for its diversification and also as a lower-carbon strategy for a producer that is largely eschewing a significant move into renewables. “On the one hand, we are convinced that chemicals and polymers will be without any doubt… needed in 2050 and beyond,
Also in this section
29 April 2026
The UAE’s exit from the alliance marks a decisive step towards a world in which oil markets are shaped less by collective management and more by national strategy
29 April 2026
Trafigura’s $1b prepayment agreement confirms African resource holders’ renewed interest in oil-backed financing deals as they look to capitalise on high oil prices
29 April 2026
The UAE’s departure from the oil producers’ group was a surprise to many, but the move can be traced back to a single point five years ago
28 April 2026
Oil traders warning of $200/bl oil are wrong, and the market should be wary of proclamations that the impact of the oil shortage has only begun to be felt and a that a ‘harsh adjustment’ is coming—even for industrialised nations
