UK Offshore Workers Call for Gov't to Invest in Oil Projects

Shadia Nasralla
Monday, April 27, 2020

British unions representing offshore workers said on Monday the government should invest taxpayer money directly into oil and gas projects to save the sector rather than extend welfare payments to furloughed staff.

In a joint statement, the unions said they expected around 3,500 workers to be out of a job by September and that their members in the drilling sector were told their employers did not see any upturn in their sector before 2022.

"We see it as vital that we get the government to invest in projects, not as operating partners but as equity partners, providing low cost loans to operators," the statement said.

"The projects that were on the books for 2020/21 were based on an oil price of $x while the oil price is now at $y; therefore the government could bridge the gap with an investment, rather than paying benefits... Keep workers working, keep the economy going and growing."

Britain's Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the sector regulator, the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA), had no immediate comment on the unions' proposal.

(Reporting by Shadia Nasralla Editing by Mark Heinrich)

Categories: Energy People Drilling Oil Rigs Jobs news Jobs UKCS

Related Stories

Tower Resources Lines Up ADES Jack-Up Rig for Cameroon Drilling Op

Tower Resources Lines Up ADES Jack-Up Rig for Cameroon Drilling Op

TotalEnergies Books Noble Viking Drillship for Oceania Job

TotalEnergies Books Noble Viking Drillship for Oceania Job

UK: Renewables Workforce to Grow to 42,000 In Next Five Years

UK: Renewables Workforce to Grow to 42,000 In Next Five Years

Current News

Chartwell Marine to Design CTV for NR Marine Services

Equinor Selects Baker Hughes for P&A Ops at Oseberg East Field

Poland to Open 4GW Offshore Wind Auction in December

North Sea Operator Picks OEG for Offshore Helifuel Services

Subscribe for OE Digital E‑News

Offshore Engineer Magazine