Norway’s oil output could be affected by a strike at nine offshore fields, according to the Norwegian Oil and Gas Association (NOG), which was announced Friday.
According to trade unions Safe, Industri Energi, and Lederne, 845 workers from approximately 7,500 offshore platform employees plan to strike starting June 12. If annual pay negotiations fail with employers, they will take industrial action.
Norway’s oil and gas workers are at risk of striking, with some crude output at stake
If the state-appointed mediator in Norway is unable to broker a settlement, union members can go on strike. The dispute could escalate the week after that as more workers could join the strike.
Union leaders stated that although oil production will likely be affected by strike action, workers would first seek to protect their gas output because of the high European prices and tight supply.
However, the decision to close a field is ultimately up to the companies that operate it.
NOG stated in a statement that “a potential strike could affect output from affected fields.”
The unions stated that a strike would affect ten offshore production platforms and drilling platforms including Johan Sverdrup A2, Valhall, Gudrun and Oseberg East, and three floating accommodation units.
A strike by Industri Energi members of Aker BP-operated Valhall could delay its restart from ongoing maintenance. This is due to occur on June 24, NOG.
The Johan Sverdrup P2 platform and the renovated Njord A platforms, both newly installed, are still not producing.
All three unions plan to strike members of Equinor-operated Gudrun and Oseberg East fields.
Gudrun produced 45.700 barrels of oil equivalent per daily (boed), in 2021. Oseberg East produced 5,600 boed and Oseberg South 32,000, according to official data. This amounts to around 2% of Norway’s total daily oil and gas production.
Equinor declined to comment on whether these fields would need to be closed. A spokesperson for Equinor stated that they don’t want speculation about the matter.
Norway produces just under 4 million barrels per day of oil equivalent (boepd), about half of which is crude oil and the other liquids, making it a major global supplier of energy.
