BERLIN: OMV, the Austrian stakeholder in the planned Nord Stream 2 (NS 2) gas pipeline to Germany, on Tuesday rejected United States criticism, saying it was driven by interests to export gas which should compete on price.

"If the US were to offer competitively priced liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Europe, they need not worry about the prospect of supply from NS 2 gas," OMV Chief Executive Rainer Seele said at Germany's annual Handelsblatt energy conference.

Seele already last week rejected a veiled threat of sanctions by the US ambassador to Germany over the controversial project.

LNG gas is transported worldwide on board special tankers and can earn a third higher prices in Asia compared with levels in Europe.

Hans Coenen, senior executive at Dutch Gasunie, another western stakeholder in NS2, supported the latest idea of an LNG terminal in Germany, which would raise US chances to land gas there.

Traders and customers wanted such a facility, he said.