NEO NEXT+ staff call strike action on multiple North Sea platforms
Why this news matters:
- Planned strike action could disrupt operations at producing UK North Sea assets, highlighting ongoing workforce and cost-of-living pressures facing the offshore sector.
- The dispute comes as Neo Next + Energy seeks to integrate major UK upstream assets following the merger of NEO NEXT, TotalEnergies UK and Repsol UK operations.
Offshore staff belonging to the Unite the Union have voted for strike action at the Elgin Franklin and North Alwyn platforms in the UK central and northern North Sea, operated by NEO NEXT+ Energy.
They plan a series of 24-hour stoppages from 06:00 on July 22 and 29, to be followed by further disruption on Aug. 5, 12 and 19 at the same time.
The dispute involves about 50 Unite members, which have rejected the offer of a pay rise below 3%, Unite said. They include control room, production and senior operators, operations and production technicians.
What are the production risks?
While the planned action does not necessarily indicate a full production shutdown, the dispute involves control room operators, production operators and technicians whose roles are critical to safe offshore operations.
Depending on staffing levels maintained during the strikes, the operator could face reduced production rates, deferred maintenance activities or temporary restrictions on certain operations.
Which operators are involved?
NEO NEXT+ Energy E&P, the largest independent oil and gas producer in the UK North Sea, was created through the merger of NEO NEXT and TotalEnergies' UK upstream business, bringing together assets previously held by NEO, TotalEnergies and Repsol UK.
The Elgin/Franklin fields are operated by NEO NEXT+ with a 50.4% interest. Ithaca Energy holds 28%, Harbour Energy 19.3%, and ONE-Dyas 2.2%.
The North Alwyn platform is part of NEO NEXT+'s Alwyn Area hub in the UK Northern North Sea. Unlike the Elgin/Franklin complex, the Alwyn Area is wholly owned by NEO NEXT+.
What are NEO NEXT+ Energy's next steps?
NEO NEXT+ Energy's immediate priority will likely be to avoid operational disruption before the first planned strike on July 22. Unite has said the company still has a "final opportunity" to improve its pay offer and reach an agreement before industrial action begins.
If no settlement is reached, the operator may need to implement contingency plans, assess potential operational impacts and adjust staffing arrangements to maintain safe operations during the planned stoppages. As of July 8, NEO NEXT+ had not publicly commented on the dispute.
Key takeaway:
About 50 offshore workers represented by Unite are scheduled to begin a series of strikes at NEO NEXT+'s Elgin/Franklin and North Alwyn assets after rejecting a pay offer of less than 3%, creating the potential for operational disruptions at key UK North Sea production hubs.
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About the Author
Jeremy Beckman
Editor, Europe
Jeremy Beckman has been Editor Europe, Offshore since 1992. Prior to joining Offshore he was a freelance journalist for eight years, working for a variety of electronics, computing and scientific journals in the UK. He regularly writes news columns on trends and events both in the NW Europe offshore region and globally. He also writes features on developments and technology in exploration and production.
Ariana Hurtado
Editor-in-Chief
With more than a decade of copy editing, project management and journalism experience, Ariana Hurtado is a seasoned managing editor born and raised in the energy capital of the world—Houston, Texas. She currently serves as editor-in-chief of Offshore, overseeing the editorial team, its content and the brand's growth from a digital perspective.
Utilizing her editorial expertise, she manages digital media for the Offshore team. She also helps create and oversee new special industry reports and revolutionizes existing supplements, while also contributing content to Offshore's magazine, newsletters and website as a copy editor and writer.
Prior to her current role, she served as Offshore's editor and director of special reports from April 2022 to December 2024. Before joining Offshore, she served as senior managing editor of publications with Hart Energy. Prior to her nearly nine years with Hart, she worked on the copy desk as a news editor at the Houston Chronicle.
She graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Houston.