Updated: Union estimates 12,000 North Sea jobs lost and warns of worse to come
A trade union boss has warned predictions that 8,000 jobs have been lost in the oil and gas sector due to the latest downturn are likely to be very conservative.
Jake Molloy
North Sea operators shelve half a billion pounds of decommissioning spend: OGUK
North Sea operators have shelved more than half a billion pounds of decommissioning spending, according to a new report from Oil and Gas UK (OGUK).
More than half of £50bn UK wind farm investment to go overseas
More than half of the estimated £50bn investment for the UK government’s offshore wind plan is expected to go to overseas companies.
‘No political will’ for a just transition away from hydrocarbons, says union boss
Governments in Holyrood and Westminster have been accused of having “no political will” to support a just transition away from fossil fuels to clean energy.
North Sea oil industry ‘teetering on the brink’
A North Sea trade union boss has warned the oil industry is “teetering on the brink” due to a lack of activity and investment in the basin.
Furlough extension comes ‘too late’ for thousands of North Sea jobs
A union boss has said the extension of the UK furlough scheme comes “too late” for thousands of lost jobs in the North Sea oil industry.
Shell reassures workers amid concerns about Covid day rate pay
Shell has moved to reassure offshore workers that they will receive their full day rate, even if they’re forced to return home due to Covid-19 concerns.
Covid safety, cleaning fears mount for North Sea workers
Trade union chiefs said yesterday that offshore workers have “a lot of concern” about North Sea firms’ ability to keep a lid on Covid-19 while increasing crew numbers on platforms.
Schlumberger completes plan to axe 21,000 jobs
Schlumberger has completed its plan to cut 21,000 jobs in response to the oil downturn, according to its latest accounts.
Detained ship to sail from Aberdeen despite owing crew up to £150,000
A ship currently detained over unpaid wages is expected to set sail from Aberdeen Harbour despite still owing workers up to £150,000.
Shell job cuts put green recovery ‘in sharp focus’ says union boss
A union official has said news of Shell planning thousands of job cuts globally puts the North Sea’s green recovery “in sharp focus”.
Union boss suggests ‘job sharing’ for North Sea workers as Chancellor unveils new scheme
A trade union boss has suggested creating a “job share” scheme to help safeguard North Sea oil industry workers’ positions until offshore activity ramps up next year.
Installations placed on ‘alert’ after Greenpeace ship spotted in North Sea
Workers on a number of installations in the northern North Sea have been told to stay alert after a Greenpeace ship was spotted in the area.
‘Marked increase’ in number of North Sea workers going offshore
A “marked increase” has been noted in the number of workers going out to North Sea platforms, according to industry chiefs.
Scottish Government unveils £62million support package for crisis-hit oil and gas sector
A £62million Scottish Government support package has been unveiled to help oil and gas firms make a green recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.
North Sea workforce to make up majority of furlough figure as redundancies loom
North Sea oil industry workers are anticipated to make up the lion’s share of those using the furlough scheme within the UK energy sector.
BP plans 10,000 job cuts
Energy giant BP has announced plans to cut around 10,000 jobs worldwide in response to the latest oil downturn.
‘Doubt and questioning’ over quarantine exemption for oil workers, says union boss
There remains “doubt and questioning” around the UK Government’s quarantine exemption for offshore workers and the potential spread of Covid-19, according to a union boss.
Contracting firms poised to lay off furloughed workers, union boss says
A union boss has claimed a “host” of North Sea contracting firms are poised to lay off furloughed workers as the cost of maintaining the scheme mounts.
‘Desperate situation’ for North Sea oilfield service firms as furlough costing six figure sums
Many North Sea oilfield service firms are being left in a “desperate situation” over whether to axe staff or pay mounting maintenance costs to keep them on furlough.
Furlough extension ‘welcomed’ but unlikely to halt North Sea redundancies, industry chiefs warn
North-east energy sector chiefs largely welcomed an extension of the UK Government furlough scheme, but cautioned it may do little to roll back the tide of oil and gas redundancies.
Furlough scheme rollback would be ‘absolutely disastrous’ for North Sea workforce, union boss warns
Any moves to scale back the UK Government furlough scheme would be “absolutely disastrous” for the North Sea oil and gas sector, an Aberdeen union boss has warned.
Exclusive: 200 suspected Covid-19 cases evacuated from North Sea platforms during crisis
Around 200 North Sea workers have been evacuated with suspected Covid-19 symptoms over the last six weeks as the sector has attempted to manage the spread of the virus.
Many firms ‘torn’ between protecting business and supporting staff with furlough scheme, OGUK boss says
Many North Sea oil and gas firms are currently “torn” between protecting the long-term sustainability of their business and supporting those staff whose jobs were connected to now delayed or cancelled projects, according to an Oil and Gas UK (OGUK) boss.
Drilling jobs carnage shows UK oil industry in ‘crisis’
The UK oil and gas industry is in the grip of a “crisis” that could jeopardise North Sea production and the energy transition, a trade union boss has warned.