To survive consolidation, East European oil and gas companies must take into account their specific positioning in the global consolidation curve. While business and portfolio restructuring as well as a consequent focus is the appropriate strategy for local players only few are in the position to compete against global industry leaders today. However, even these East European industry leaders may find themselves targeted by global majors; oil and gas is further moving towards an industry consolidation.

All companies have to quickly align the strategy to their relative industry position; otherwise they are running the risk of being taken over by industry leaders and becoming part of the oil and gas history. The urgency for East European companies to decide which future strategies they should pursue in the consolidation game is underlined by the fact that foreign companies have already defined their strategies and are on the way to implementing them.