Offshore union RMT reaction to report from employers’ body on the future of the UK oil and gas industry

RMT General Secretary, Mick Lynch said:

'70,000 jobs have been lost in the offshore oil and gas sector since 2019 and investment is at a 48-year low. But the OGUK also estimate that domestic oil and gas production is capable of meeting 95% of existing domestic energy demand.

'The Committee on Climate Change has also advised that Net Zero can be achieved by 2050 with oil and gas meeting nearly half of domestic energy demand in the decades leading up to it.

'The North Sea Transition Deal is expected to attract £16bn investment to 2030 and RMT believe that all future operating licences must be conditional on offshore workers being guaranteed the option of transitioning to jobs in renewables and other sectors of the offshore green economy.

'If we are to avert the economic and climate catastrophe last seen in the coal industry, there must be effective and funded Just Transition plans from employers and we must see these coming through before COP26.'