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Unite says Apache strike could disrupt UK fuel supplies

More than 160 Apache offshore workers plan a 24-hour strike over pay, which Unite says could disrupt UK fuel supplies through the Forties pipeline. Apache says its contingency plans should allow other producers to continue operating through the pipeline system.

AI-assisted synthesis · Based on 3 independent reports from 5 outlets · Article text read from 1 of 3 reportsHow it's made

View timeline · 6 entries
5 outletsLatest reporting 3 min read
Coverage: Center OnlyL 0 · C 3 · R 0 · 2 unrated
Updat3 graphic: Unite
Updat3 graphic

What happened

Key facts

  • Unite says a planned Apache offshore strike could disrupt UK fuel supplies (per denbighshirefreepress.co.uk, marketscreener.com).
  • More than 160 Apache offshore workers are scheduled to strike for 24 hours starting Wednesday October 21 over a pay dispute (per denbighshirefreepress.co.uk).
  • A second 24-hour strike is scheduled for November 4 (per denbighshirefreepress.co.uk).
  • Unite says industrial action could materially disrupt the Forties pipeline and severely affect UK fuel supplies (per denbighshirefreepress.co.uk).
  • Apache says contingency plans should allow other producers to keep operating through the Forties pipeline system during the action (per denbighshirefreepress.co.uk).
  • Apache says its offer includes a 4% pay increase for employees in the bargaining unit (per denbighshirefreepress.co.uk).
  • Unite says talks with the conciliation service Acas are due before the first 24-hour strike (per denbighshirefreepress.co.uk).

The brief

More than 160 offshore workers at oil and gas operator Apache plan a 24-hour strike over pay, and Unite says the action could disrupt UK fuel supplies through the Forties pipeline. The first stoppage is scheduled to start on Wednesday October 21, with a second 24-hour strike planned for November 4.

Seven platforms are expected to be affected, including facilities in the Forties and Beryl developments. Unite industrial officer Stevie Davies said the union had repeatedly warned that industrial action could cause a material disruption to the Forties pipeline, with a severe effect on UK fuel supplies.

That is the union’s assessment of a possible consequence; it is not presented as a confirmed interruption to supply. Apache gives a different account of the likely operational impact. The company says its contingency plans should enable other producers to continue operating through the Forties pipeline system while the workers are on strike.

The company’s statement does not say that the planned stoppage itself has been cancelled or resolved. Pay is the stated cause of the dispute. Apache says it has offered a 4% increase for employees in the bargaining unit and described its offer as “fair”.

The company also said those employees’ earnings place them among the highest earners in the UK and that their offshore rota averages 153 working days a year. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham argued that Apache could afford to improve its offer, saying the company is part of a global business making billions of pounds in profit.

She said an acceptable offer could settle the dispute without affecting those profits. These are claims made by the union; the account does not provide financial figures for Apache or further details of the proposed pay terms. Davies said talks with the conciliation service Acas were due before the first 24-hour stoppage.

The planned talks are the stated opportunity for discussions before the action, while the two strike dates remain scheduled in the account. The immediate points to follow are whether the Acas discussions lead to a change in the pay offer or strike plans, and whether Apache’s contingency arrangements allow other producers to keep using the Forties system during any stoppage.

Why it matters

  • More than 160 Apache offshore workers are involved in the pay dispute, with a first 24-hour stoppage and a second one scheduled.
  • The concrete supply mechanism is the Forties pipeline: Unite says disruption could severely affect UK fuel supplies, while Apache says its contingency plans should allow other producers to keep operating through the system.
  • The dispute concerns Apache’s offer of a 4% pay increase for employees in the bargaining unit; Unite says the company should make an acceptable offer.

What to watch next

  • Whether Apache and Unite hold the stated talks with the conciliation service Acas before the first strike.
  • Whether the planned 24-hour stoppage begins on Wednesday October 21.
  • Whether Apache’s contingency plans allow other producers to continue operating through the Forties pipeline system during any stoppage.
  • Whether the second 24-hour strike scheduled for November 4 proceeds.

How it's being covered

Coverage analysisShow details
5 source articles · 5 unique outlets · 3 distinct reports
Outlet political mix: Center Only· 3 Center · 2 unrated
Where the outlets are based: Europe 80% · Unknown 20%
Outlet political mix
Center Only
Left
Center
Right
0 outlets
3 outlets
0 outlets
The marker shows coverage balance: each unique outlet counts once. 2 unrated outlets are not included.
Geography
Where the outlets covering this story are based.
5 unique outletsDominant coverage: Europe
Coverage imbalance
  • Coverage is currently concentrated among Center-rated outlets (3 of 3 rated sources); comparatively few Left or Right-rated outlets have published on the event.
  • Coverage is currently concentrated among outlets based in Europe (4 of 5 geographically-identified sources).
How we measure coverage

How outlets' accounts compare

Updat3 does not yet have enough full reports to compare how outlets framed this story.

Timeline

Developments from this story's sources, dated background we compiled and fact-checked, and our earlier coverage. Each row says which.
  1. The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) was established in 1974 to support workplace relations and resolve employment disputes.
    Background · from our historical context
  2. The Employment Protection Act gave Acas statutory functions, including conciliation.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  3. Parliament passed the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act, setting rules for trade-union industrial action.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  4. Apache entered that history in 2003, when it acquired BP’s interests in the Forties field and other North Sea assets.
    Background · from our historical context
  5. The Trade Union Act added ballot requirements, including a 50% turnout threshold for most industrial-action ballots.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  6. In 2017, INEOS bought the Forties Pipeline System from BP, separating ownership of the main transport infrastructure from ownership of the oilfield.
    Background · from our historical context

How we got here

The Forties pipeline system dates to the development of the Forties oilfield in the North Sea: first oil from the field was produced in November 1975, and a pipeline carried crude to the processing terminal at Kinneil, near Grangemouth, Scotland.

The system later became a hub for oil from other North Sea fields, making its continued operation relevant beyond the company that produces oil at Forties. Apache entered that history in 2003, when it acquired BP’s interests in the Forties field and other North Sea assets.

Related developments1 story

Original sources

5 articles from 5 outlets

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