Unearthing Momentum. Natural Gas in Austria, 1940–2010

In 1968, Austria became the first Western country to sign a natural gas delivery contract with the USSR. Despite crises and upheavals since then, the network has expanded and turned the country into a transit hub for pan-European natural gas trading. This has made Austria more dependent on Russian gas imports than most other European countries. However, despite public debate on the urgent need to decarbonize energy supplies, there is still no in-depth historical analysis of natural gas dependence. This is where the project comes in. It analyses how natural gas became a central factor in regional economic activity in the 20th century. It focuses on provincial natural gas suppliers (Landesgasversorger), who have used natural gas reserves in eastern Austria to establish and continuously expand small-scale networks since the Second Nationalisation Act in 1947. Increasing volumes were distributed, with new customers from industry, the energy sector and households being integrated into the network. By doing so, the provincial natural gas suppliers mediated between the public authorities, national and international import and export companies, and final consumers. Their corporate strategies were shaped by geopolitical events, as well as environmental, energy and economic policies and consumer preferences. To gain a more complete understanding of Austrias natural gas dependence, the project studies the phenomenon from a political and environmental history perspective combined with a history of technology approach. Conceptually, the project is based on the idea of the hidden integration of Europe through infrastructure, supplemented by a spatial-volumetric approach. According to the working hypothesis, the horizontal and territorial integration of natural gas networks is inextricably linked to the management of underground processes and spaces. This necessitates the mobilization of knowledge in soil science, geology, ecology, materials science and engineering. Horizontal integration, on the other hand, presupposes collaboration between provincial natural gas suppliers, government bodies, political groups, landowners, interest groups and industry representatives. Focusing on three study regions enables the mapping of different parts of the pan-European natural gas network in various cultural landscape types in Austria and neighboring European regions. Methodologically, archival research, expert interviews and media analyses are combined with descriptive statistics and spatial analyses using a geographic information system (GIS). Through its interdisciplinary approach, the project will expand knowledge of a largely overlooked aspect of European energy history and provide guidance on decarbonization. Project results will be made available in the form of peer-reviewed publications, specialist lectures and a book manuscript.