Business
• Analysis
North Sea strikes: Wood Group crews walk out at Harbour Energy platforms
Wood Group workers contracted to five Harbour Energy North Sea platforms have begun a 48-hour strike, the second in a series of North Sea strikes over pay, with a third planned for 3 November.
By Haut Monde Post
• October 19, 2026
• 3 Min Read
Wood Group workers contracted to Harbour Energy's Britannia, Jasmine, Judy, Lomond and North Everest platforms began a 48-hour stoppage on Tuesday, part of a rolling series of North Sea strikes over pay that will continue into November.
Which platforms are affected
The action involves employees of oil services company Wood Group who are contracted to five Harbour Energy installations in the North Sea: Britannia, Jasmine, Judy, Lomond and North Everest. The 48-hour stoppage started on Tuesday, having already been scheduled before the dispute widened.
What happened last time
Wood Group says the previous stoppage earlier this month had limited reach: only eight of the 150 employees contracted to the affected Harbour platforms took part in strike action, and the company says operations were not disrupted.
The wider strike calendar
The Wood Group walkout runs alongside separate action by the Unite union against Apache, and a third stoppage is already on the calendar. Unite said on Monday that more than 160 offshore rig workers would take part in a 24-hour strike from Wednesday, warning it could severely disrupt UK fuel supplies.
- •Unite expects its 24-hour strike to go ahead at 6am Wednesday because, it says, Apache has shown no willingness to resolve the dispute.
- •A third 48-hour strike is planned for 3 November, according to Unite and trade union RMT.
- •Unite leaders are scheduled to continue pay talks with Apache through the Acas mediation service on Wednesday.
The pipeline at stake
Unite's action covers five Apache oil platforms linked to the Forties Pipeline System, which is responsible for about 30% of the UK's oil production. The union claims a halt in production could lead to a sharp drop in pressure across the pipeline system, disrupting UK fuel supplies. Apache said it plans to use experienced contractors to keep production going during the strike and does not expect an impact on other oil companies using the Forties pipeline.
The company defended its pay offer in a statement:
Our offer provides a 4% pay increase for employees in the bargaining unit, whose earnings already place them among the highest earners in the UK
Ineos, Jim Ratcliffe's company and the owner of the Forties pipeline, did not respond to a request for comment. Apache plans to end all North Sea operations by the end of 2029, blaming the windfall tax, which sets a total tax rate of 78% on oil company profits.
According to Unite and the RMT, a third 48-hour strike is planned for 3 November, and Unite's pay talks with Apache through Acas are scheduled to continue on Wednesday.
