OMV invests in sustainable development in Libya

• OMV invested in access to water, education, health and local emergency response in Libya in 2018
• Over half a million people are benefiting from improved social service delivery
• OMV supports a Children’s Hospital in Benghazi
• OMV commits to new social investment program for next two years as part of El Sharara Consortium

On March 4, 2019, OMV, the international integrated oil and gas company based in Vienna, together with Repsol, Total, and Equinor as joint venture partners, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Oil Company (NOC) and Akakus Oil Operations (AOO) for the social development of local communities in Libya.

The new program will focus on supporting the provision of equipment for essential medical and water access, services such as the construction of water tanks, drilling of water wells and a capacity building program for local youth and local authorities in the Murzuq Basin. OMV's contribution under the MoU will be EUR 4.6 mn over a period of two years.

OMV has been investing in improving access to safe water and education facilities and strengthening local emergency response in Libya as part of its global commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In partnership with NOC, in 2018, OMV contributed to improved social services with local authorities in regions with a total population of over half a million people around the Nafoora Augila field, located in the Sirte Basin in the East of Libya.

Estimates suggest a USD 2.5 trillion deficit in publicly available funds needed to meet the global SDGs by 2030, as set by the United Nations. Business investment is crucial to help countries bridge this investment gap. OMV supports the SDGs through sustained community investments aligned with key SDG priorities in every country where it operates.

Erwin Kröll, Senior Vice President, Middle East & Africa at OMV: “Community investments help OMV build partnerships and trust-based community relations and ensure that local communities benefit from our operations”. In Libya OMV community investments have focused on key local needs as determined in consultation with the NOC and local sustainable development priorities.

In 2018 OMV focused on improving access to safe water, better energy education facilities, supporting Libyan students studying at Montanuniversität  Leoben, Austria, and strengthening local emergency response capabilities in communities around the Nafoora Augila field. OMV’s commitment to the Children’s Hospital in Benghazi, signed with VAMED in December last year, costs EUR 2.3 mn and includes the supply of bio-medical equipment, spare parts, consumables and disposables. Installation of bio-medical equipment, staff training and warranty maintenance for one year will also be granted under this program, expected to start delivering from April this year. 

“Investing in the communities where OMV is present not only reflects our commitment to responsible business conduct – it is crucial to our business success”, confirms Bernhard Heneis, Head of Sustainability & Reporting at OMV.

OMV community investment highlights in Libya in 2018:

Ensuring access to safe water

Investing in water-well infrastructure is key to ensuring local populations have access to a safe and adequate water supply. In response to this need, OMV provided ten high-capacity water pumps in 2018 to improve the local community’s access to safe water and promote multiple uses of existing water systems.

Investing in higher education in Jikharra, Al Wahat District

OMV also supports the Higher Institute for Renewable Energy in the town of Jikharra as part of its sustainable development program in the Wahat region. In 2018, OMV furnished four portable classrooms and equipped an integrated laboratory as well as a workshop. The Higher Institute of Renewable Energy of Jikharra is the second specialized institute in Libya to teach alternative energy, benefiting from Libya’s strategic location with around ten months a year of sunshine. The laboratory complex features workshops, lecture rooms, laboratories equipped with solar panels, wind turbines, solar water heaters and additional groundbreaking equipment. By investing in Al Wahat´s higher education, a greater number of students will be able to contribute to the next generation of energy development. Investment in this sector will thereby help to diversify energy sources, create new jobs and conserve the environment in Libya.

Developing local youth in technical education

OMV has provided scholarships to four students from Tripoli and Benghazi for a two year master’s degree program in Petroleum Engineering at Montanuniversität Leoben, Austria. These students joined the university in July 2018 and are part of OMV’s mentoring program for seeking guidance and coaching from OMV’s technical professionals. Internship opportunities at OMV are provided as well. 

Strengthened emergency response to fires in Gialo

OMV has provided a state-of-the-art firefighting vehicle to the municipality of Gialo and trained eight locals to operate it in 2019. The firefighting vehicle helps in effective firefighting in areas at high risk of fire, such as municipal areas and industrial sites. It is also suitable for rescues in local communities. The main goal of the donation and training is to contribute to an enhanced emergency response when saving lives and property, as well as to protect emergency personnel in the Gialo municipality where resources for response are limited, provided only by state oil companies such as Arabian Gulf Oil Company (AGOCO) & Waha Oil Company (WOC).

Background information:

OMV Aktiengesellschaft
OMV produces and markets oil and gas, innovative energy and high-end petrochemical solutions – in a responsible way. With Group sales of EUR 23 bn and a workforce of more than 20,000 employees in 2018, OMV Aktiengesellschaft is one of Austria’s largest listed industrial companies. In Upstream, OMV has a strong base in Romania and Austria as part of the Central and Eastern Europe core region as well as a balanced international portfolio, with Russia, North Sea, Middle East and Africa as well as Asia-Pacific as further core regions. 2018 daily production stood at approximately 427,000 boe/d. In Downstream, OMV operates three refineries with a total annual processing capacity of 17.8 mn tons and more than 2,000 filling stations in ten countries. OMV runs gas storage facilities in Austria and Germany; its subsidiary Gas Connect Austria GmbH operates a gas pipeline network in Austria. In 2018, gas sales volumes amounted to around 114 TWh. Sustainability is an integral part of the corporate strategy. OMV is set to invest EUR 500 mn in innovative energy solutions by 2025.

OMV in Libya
OMV has been active in Libya since 1975 and is currently the sole international partner of Libya’s state-owned National Oil Company (NOC) in the Nafoora Augila oil field, located in the Sirte Basin in the east of Libya. Since then it has undergone continuous growth. OMV's success in Libya is based on the acquisition of producing assets, exploration, field developments and re-developments. OMV has explored most of the sedimentary basins onshore and offshore Libya including the Sirte, Murzuq, Ghadames, Cyrenaika, Kufra and Pelagian Basins.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a globally agreed agenda for state and non-state actors for sustainable development. The SDGs were adopted in 2015 by all United Nations Member States as a blueprint for development by 2030. The 17 Goals are an urgent call for action by all countries and state and non-state actors to join forces in delivering a better and more sustainable future for all. SDGs mentioned in this news story correspond to the following goals:
SDG 4 - Quality education
SDG 6 - Clean water and sanitation
SDG 11 - Sustainable cities and communities
SDG 13 - Climate action