BUDAPEST--Hungarian energy group MOL Nyrt. (MOL.BU) is aiming to sign contracts for 225 billion forints ($1 billion) in new investments in the fourth quarter of this year, the company said late Monday.

MAIN FACTS:

-MOL is planning to invest a total of more than HUF300 billion in the next three years in Hungary to enhance its operation.

-MOL's board of directors decided to speed up the process and authorized the management to sign contracts for 75% of the allocated total as soon as the last quarter of 2012.

-MOL will carry out investment projects in exploration, production, refining as well as marketing.

-Half of the total sum will go to hydrocarbon exploration and field development, including unconventional exploration projects.

-"The currently extremely difficult industrial environment urges companies to become more flexible and constantly innovative... We have no choice but to outgrow the crisis: we want to regain our leading position among European refineries," MOL Chief Executive Jozsef Molnar said.

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