• OMV has launched a new global job initiative that would see the Austrian oil and gas firm hire some 1,600 additional technical staff in the next three years with an emphasis on university graduates and experienced specialists.
• BEACH Energy says it will boost spending and production this year after achieving a better-than-expected full year profit and lifting dividends.
• JAPAN has ratcheted up its attack on high Australian LNG prices — hailing US shale gas exports as a game changer that could slash prices by up to 30 per cent — and is inviting industry players to Tokyo next month as it looks to break the traditional LNG pricing model and encourage new supply.