Members of the Federation of Oil Workers' Trade Unions (OFS) and the Norwegian Association for Supervisors working on the Snorre A and B platforms in the North Sea are now on strike following a breakdown in negotiations with the Norwegian Oil Industry Association (OLF) regarding the offshore wage settlement.
Some 175 people, including Statoil employees and contractors, downed tools at 02.00 on 18 June. The group is shutting down production on both platforms as a result. The controlled shutdown will take roughly two days.
The total loss of production will be just over 300,000 barrels of oil per day, of which Statoil's share will be just under 60,000 barrels. This covers Snorre A and B and the Vigdis field which is tied back to the A platform via seabed installations.
Statoil has a 14.4 per cent interest in the Snorre field, and 28.22 per cent in Vigdis.
There will be a minimum staff on board to secure the installations.