Offshore workers stage strike on Statoil’s Mariner platform

Offshore workers on Statoil-operated Mariner platform located in the UK sector of the North Sea staged an unofficial strike over the weekend.

Mariner platform in the UK North Sea; Image: Statoil

Mariner is one of the largest projects currently under development in the UK continental shelf.

BBC reported on Saturday that the workers had staged the unofficial industrial action over alleged poor working conditions.

According to UK Telegraph’s report on Sunday, the workers downed tools over the weekend and threatened to ­escalate action unless their demands are met.

Telegraph also reported that the four-hour sit-in happened on Saturday morning and again on Saturday evening, claiming that as many as 200 workers from Aker Solutions as well as 50 workers from Stork participated in it.

In an e-mail to Offshore Energy Today, a spokesperson for Aker Solutions said: “Aker Solutions is aware that some workers based at the Mariner field chose not to work for a few hours on Saturday. The company was not informed of this unofficial activity and has reached out to relevant unions and employee representatives to gain a better understanding of the situation.”

Offshore Energy Today has also reached out to Statoil but the Norwegian giant has not provided any further comment aside from referring us to Aker Solutions for comments on the action at Mariner “as this relates to their workers and suppliers.”

Namely, Aker Solutions is handling the Mariner maintenance and modification services contract and Stork Technical Services is in charge of offshore services contract.

The Mariner heavy oil field is located about 150 kilometers east of the Shetland Islands. The field’s recoverable reserves were estimated at 250 million barrels of oil. The final investment decision for the Mariner development was taken in December 2012, entailing a gross investment of more than £4.5 billion.

The concept chosen includes a production, drilling and quarters (PDQ) platform based on a steel jacket, Mariner A, with a floating storage unit (FSU), Mariner B.

Statoil started production drilling on the Mariner field in December 2016 using the Noble Lloyd Noble jack-up rig. Production is expected to start in 2018.

Offshore Energy Today Staff