OMV, the leading energy Group in the European growth belt, announces a new gas-condensate discovery following the successful drilling of the Ritma-1 exploration well in the Nawara Production Concession in southern Tunisia.

This is the seventh successive well to encounter hydrocarbons in this area in the last four years, and underpins the significant potential of this block and of OMV’s surrounding exploration permit Jenein Sud.

OMV and its partner ETAP, the Tunisian national oil company, have recently completed operations at the Ritma-1 well in the Nawara Production Concession in southern Tunisia. This is the third well in the 2009/2010 drilling campaign designed to identify additional gas-condensate resources for the planned Nawara Development Project.

Ritma-1 reached a total depth of 4,035 m and encountered 28 m of net hydrocarbon pay in stacked sandstones of the Acacus and Tannezuft Formations. Gas-condensate was proven by an extensive downhole evaluation and sampling program. The reservoir thickness is at the high end of expectations, similar to the recent Fella-1 discovery. Ritma-1 has been cased and suspended for future production.

Helmut Langanger, OMV Executive Board Member responsible for Exploration and Production stated: ”We are very pleased with this promising series of 7 consecutive discoveries in southern Tunisia which is quite an outstanding achievement in the E&P business and allows us to stay on track for our planned field development in the Nawara Concession.“

Drilling of the next exploration well, Khouloud-1, in the area started on 25 May. OMV and ETAP each hold a 50% interest in the Nawara Production Concession, 700 km south of the Tunisian capital Tunis.

OMV holds a balanced international E&P portfolio in 17 countries structured around six core regions, namely CEE, North Africa, Northwestern Europe, the Middle East, Australia/New Zealand and the Russia/Caspian region. OMV's daily production is approximately 317,000 boe/d and the Company’s proven reserves at the end of 2009 were approximately 1.2 bn boe.

OMV first became active in Tunisia in the early 1970s. The acquisition of the international E&P activities of Preussag in 2003 gave OMV access to seven producing oil fields in the southeast of the country. The most prolific of these is the Ashtart field.

OMV currently has interests in two exploration and (six) production licenses in Tunisia. Its production in Tunisia amounts to approximately 8,000 boe/d in 2009.

In February 2010 OMV was awarded the Nawara production concession, which was previously a part of the OMV operated Jenein Sud exploration block. These areas are situated in the Tunisian extension of the Ghadames basin.

In April 2008, OMV acquired an 80% operated share in the Sidi Mansour exploration area.