VIENNA, Jan 7 - Russian gas flows to Austria had stopped completely on Wednesday, oil and gas group OMV (OMVV.VI) said, adding it was drawing on reserves, domestic production and other imports to guarantee gas supply to customers.
Ukraine's state energy company Naftogaz said on Wednesday that Russia had cut off all gas supplies to Europe via Ukrainian territory at 0544 GMT in an escalating gas row between Ukraine and Russia.
"Following the massive reductions to natural gas deliveries to Austria ... currently no more Russian natural gas is being delivered to Austria," OMV said in a statement.
Russian gas flows to Austria already fell by 90 percent on Tuesday. OMV said it was in contact with Gazprom (GAZP.MM) and the relevant Austrian authorities about the situation.
OMV said earlier this week it was well prepared in the case of a supply cut, with around 1.75 billion cubic metres of natural gas in storage, enough to supply Austrian household demand for three months during the winter.
The Alpine republic gets about 51 percent of its gas from Russia, 31 percent from Norway and other countries while some 18 percent is produced domestically.
The government has summoned an emergency meeting at 1200 GMT to discuss possible scenarios for Austrian supply, including the possibility of big industrial companies reducing gas usage at peak times.
Austria's energy regulator E-Control said any measures would ensure supply to households is protected first.
"It is guaranteed that Austria's 1.3 million gas customers will be provided for by all means. The first measures would affect large customers, like industry, the steel industry, the chemical industry but also gas power stations," E-control official Michael Schmoelzer told state broadcaster ORF.
Austrian Economy Minister Reinhold Mitterlehner told ORF the government was not yet planning an emergency decree to ration consumption.
"We need...a solution in the next 14 days, particularly on a political level," he said.
He added it was important to give support to the Nabucco pipeline project, designed to pump gas from the Caspian region via Turkey and the Balkans to Austria, as it would serve as a longer-term solution to Europe's gas supply situation.
Ukraine's state energy company Naftogaz said on Wednesday that Russia had cut off all gas supplies to Europe via Ukrainian territory at 0544 GMT in an escalating gas row between Ukraine and Russia.
"Following the massive reductions to natural gas deliveries to Austria ... currently no more Russian natural gas is being delivered to Austria," OMV said in a statement.
Russian gas flows to Austria already fell by 90 percent on Tuesday. OMV said it was in contact with Gazprom (GAZP.MM) and the relevant Austrian authorities about the situation.
OMV said earlier this week it was well prepared in the case of a supply cut, with around 1.75 billion cubic metres of natural gas in storage, enough to supply Austrian household demand for three months during the winter.
The Alpine republic gets about 51 percent of its gas from Russia, 31 percent from Norway and other countries while some 18 percent is produced domestically.
The government has summoned an emergency meeting at 1200 GMT to discuss possible scenarios for Austrian supply, including the possibility of big industrial companies reducing gas usage at peak times.
Austria's energy regulator E-Control said any measures would ensure supply to households is protected first.
"It is guaranteed that Austria's 1.3 million gas customers will be provided for by all means. The first measures would affect large customers, like industry, the steel industry, the chemical industry but also gas power stations," E-control official Michael Schmoelzer told state broadcaster ORF.
Austrian Economy Minister Reinhold Mitterlehner told ORF the government was not yet planning an emergency decree to ration consumption.
"We need...a solution in the next 14 days, particularly on a political level," he said.
He added it was important to give support to the Nabucco pipeline project, designed to pump gas from the Caspian region via Turkey and the Balkans to Austria, as it would serve as a longer-term solution to Europe's gas supply situation.
