Strikes by North Sea oil workers could ‘severely disrupt’ UK fuel supplies
The Unite union has warned that a looming strike by North Sea oil workers could severely disrupt UK fuel supplies following a breakdown in pay talks with Apache. The dispute centers on an offer that the union claims amounts to a real-terms pay cut, while Apache defends its 4% increase as fair given the high earnings of its offshore staff. If the strike proceeds, it could halt operations at the Forties and Beryl oilfields, potentially affecting a pipeline system that handles nearly a third of the UK's oil and gas.
- ▪Unite union members have voted to strike against Apache after rejecting a pay offer they described as a real-terms cut.
- ▪The potential industrial action involves over 160 offshore workers and could bring the critical Charlie platform to a standstill.
- ▪Apache reported $1.4bn in after-tax profits last year and stated it has contingency plans to maintain safe operations during any strike.
- ▪The Forties pipeline system, which handles almost a third of the UK's oil and gas, is at risk of going down if the strike occurs.
- ▪UK fuel prices are already rising due to geopolitical tensions, with average diesel prices recently hitting a record £2 per litre.
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| Original publisher | The Guardian — UK |
| Canonical URL | https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/oct/05/strikes-by-north-sea-oil-workers-could-severely-disrupt-uk-fuel-supplies |
| Publication time | Sun, 04 Oct 2026 23:01:40 GMT |
| Retrieval time | 2026-10-04T23:11:02.585Z |
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The Forties Bravo oil platform in the North Sea. Photograph: Allan Coutts/AlamyView image in fullscreenThe Forties Bravo oil platform in the North Sea. Photograph: Allan Coutts/AlamyOilStrikes by North Sea oil workers could ‘severely disrupt’ UK fuel suppliesUnion says staff left with no choice but industrial action after breakdown in pay talks with Texas oil firm ApacheKalyeena Makortoff Sun 4 Oct 2026 19.01 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleA looming strike by oil workers in the North Sea could “severely disrupt” UK fuel supplies, the Unite union has said, adding that staff were left with no choice after a breakdown in pay talks with the Texas oil company Apache.The union said Apache workers had “emphatically” backed strike action after being given what it said was an unacceptable…
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