Norway Prepares to Resume Offshore Production

The Norwegian oil sector major prepared to resume production at its offshore installations following intervention from the Norwegian government to end a strike.

Producers had been preparing to lock out striking workers from their workstations in response to the strike on the instruction of industry representation body, the Oil Industry Association (OLF). After last-minute intervention from the Norwegian government last night, the company will not go ahead with the lockout and subsequent shutdown of its offshore fields.

The OLF says strike action has so far cost the industry and Norwegian society NOK 3.1 billion (approximately €440 million).

Norwegian major Statoil said today it will now resume production from its affected fields "as quickly as possible". The company estimates that full production will resume within one week. Restarting production will take one or two days.

The dispute will now be taken to arbitration, a decision made by Norwegian Minister of Labour Hanne Bjurstrøm last night. The protesting workers, who had been striking for 16 days up to yesterday, and the OLF will meet on the recommendation of the government to discuss the issue of full pension rights for workers at 62, three years before statutory pension rights. 

A number of Statoil's offshore Norwegian oil and gas fields and installations were affected by the strike. These were the Oseberg Field Centre, Oseberg South, Oseberg East, Oseberg C, Heidrun, Huldra, Veslefrikk and Brage.