Norwegian Strike Threat Spreads

Oil and gas production at six fields could be affected by the escalation of a strike by Norway's Lederne labour union, the Norwegian Oil and Gas Association (Noga) said on October 2.

Some 43 Lederne workers downed tools at the Equinor-operated Johan Sverdrup oil project on September 30, after wage talks with Noga failed to make progress. The union represents around 1,000 workers. Equinor said on September 30 that Sverdrup's production was unaffected "for the present." The field flows 470,000 barrels/day of oil, making it western Europe's largest producer.

Lederne said later that day it would escalate the strike on October 4. In its statement, Noga said 126 workers would go on strike at the Equinor-operated Gudrun, Gina Krog and Kvitebjorn oil and gas fields, as well as the Neptune Energy-operated Gjoa field.

"As things look now, Kvitebjorn and its Valemon satellite, as well as Gudrun and Gina Krog, will have to shut down," Noga said. The same is true of Gjoa and its satellite Vega, which is operated by Germany's Wintershall Dea. The six fields produce a combined 330,000 barrels of oil equivalent/day, or 8% of national hydrocarbon output.

The Industri Energi and Safe unions also threatened strikes earlier but reached agreements with Noga.

"The smallest union, Lederne, rejected the offer and opted to strike. It has also demanded that the area covered by the collective pay settlement is expanded – which falls outside the scope of the negotiation over offshore agreements," Noga said.