Over 160 North Sea rig workers set 24‑hour strike that could hit UK fuel supplies

More than 160 offshore rig workers will stage a 24‑hour walkout on Wednesday, a strike the Unite union warns could severely disrupt UK fuel supplies. The strike follows a 48‑hour walkout planned for Tuesday by Wood Group staff contracted to Harbour Energy’s Britannia, Jasmine, Judy, Lomond and North Everest platforms. Unite said the 24‑hour action will involve workers on five Apache‑owned platforms that feed the Forties Pipeline System, which supplies about 30 % of the nation’s oil output. Union leaders will meet Apache in Acas‑mediated pay talks on Wednesday, but Unite says the company has shown no willingness to settle, so the strike will begin at 6 am. Apache claims a 4 % pay rise for its bargaining unit, whose offshore rota averages 153 days a year, and says experienced contractors will keep production running, expecting no knock‑on effect on other users of the Forties line. Ineos, owner of the pipeline, declined to comment. The action comes as Apache plans to exit the North Sea by 2029, blaming a 78 % windfall tax, and as Harbour Energy reduces its offshore workforce after cutting about 600 jobs since 2023. A third 48‑hour strike is slated for 3 November, according to Unite and RMT. The timing adds pressure ahead of the 28 October budget and a pending decision on the Jackdaw gas project, while the UK grapples with winter energy concerns linked to global fuel crises.## Context The Forties Pipeline System moves oil from the North Sea to refineries across the UK, so reduced pressure can affect downstream supply. The UK windfall tax, set at 78 % of oil profits, has led several firms to cut investment and jobs, raising tensions with unions. Industrial action on key platforms therefore has the potential to amplify broader energy‑security worries during the winter months.