OMV Could Boost Yemen Output to 30,000 bpd

Austrian energy group OMV wants to boost its oil output from Yemen by half if conditions allow, a senior executive told Reuters on Tuesday.

Erwin Kroell, senior vice president for the Middle East and Caspian, said plans to raise production to 30,000 barrels per day from 20,000 on average now hinged on putting in place security measures to protect its assets and people.

"Higher production depends on the security situation and oil prices playing a role," he told Reuters on the sidelines of an industry conference.

OMV operates in Yemen, Pakistan, Iraqi Kurdistan and the United Arab Emirates. In Pakistan, OMV's gas production through a subsidiary is 60,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

If current exploration efforts succeed it plans to expand output, Kroell said.

Reporting by Stanley Carvalho