Oil pipeline strike threatens UK fuel supplies
One of Britain's biggest trade unions has threatened to "severely disrupt" UK fuel supplies in a row over pay for North Sea oil rig workers.
Unite said its members had voted to strike at sites in the Forties and Beryl oil fields, raising fears about a fresh squeeze for households and motorists as fuel prices soar.
Bosses at the union warned a strike risked shutting down the Forties pipeline, potentially disrupting 29pc of the UK oil supply and 30pc of gas supplies.
Average diesel prices hit a record high of £2 a litre last week, with European countries promising to release hundreds of millions of barrels under pressure from Donald Trump .
The Forties and Beryl oil fields are controlled by Apache, with its assets including the critical Forties Charlie platform.
This acts as a hub for the Forties pipeline by collecting oil produced at all other nearby platforms and wells before it is pumped ashore to Aberdeen.
If workers bring operations at Charlie to a halt, Unite claimed, it could trigger a lack of pressure in the system and lead to "the entire Forties Pipeline System going down".
The warning will trigger alarm bells in Whitehall, where officials have already been scrambling to head off threats by Mr Trump to halt exports of diesel to the UK and Europe.
Unite said some 160 Apache workers were ready to take strike action. They include electricians, mechanics, radio operators and instrument, telecoms and production technicians.
The union's members are in dispute with Apache over a proposed pay increase by the company that amounted to "a real-terms pay cut for many workers", because of pay being frozen or not keeping up with inflation.
Unite also accused Apache of setting deadlines for agreements on back pay and suggesting it could be withheld.
'Shameful corporate greed'
Stevie Davies, from Unite, said: "Unite's members are being left with no option but to take strike action.
"Any disruption to Apache's platforms would have a direct hit on the Forties Pipeline and potentially severely affect the UK's fuel supplies .
"The behaviour of Apache is reckless and it could have far reaching consequences for workers, operators and consumers."
Unite pointed to profits of £1.3bn reported by Apache's parent company, APA Corporation, in 2025.
Sharon Graham, the general secretary of Unite, added: "We will not tolerate unacceptable pay offers and threats to withhold back pay from Apache.
"The operator is raking in eye-watering profits. It's treating its highly-skilled workers with contempt.
"Apache has been caught red handed in embarking on shameful corporate greed."
A spokesman for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: "We urge all parties to work together to resolve this issue without disruption.
"We have a diverse and resilient fuel supply. This is a crude oil pipeline and does not transport fuel."
Apache and Ineos, which owns the Forties pipeline, were approached for comment.
