Union fury as Rosebank oil field’s main offshore vessel being built in Dubai

Trade unions in Scotland have expressed outrage over the decision made by the Norwegian developers of the Rosebank oil field to construct the main offshore vessel in Dubai. The RMT union’s Mick Lynch and the STUC’s Roz Foyer labelled the move as a “shocking betrayal of Scotland’s workers,” as the construction of Rosebank’s Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) platform is taking place nearly 4000 miles away in the Middle East.

Equinor, the state-owned oil giant from Norway, is overseeing the Rosebank project off the coast of Shetland, which is expected to yield up to 500 million barrels of oil. The company awarded Altera Infrastructure, another Norwegian firm, the contract to deploy and operate the Petrojarl Knarr FPSO at Rosebank for at least nine years. To upgrade the vessel, Altera has engaged Aker Solutions, a Norwegian engineering firm, with the work taking place at the Drydocks World shipyard in Dubai, UAE.

Union representatives raised concerns that despite Scotland’s skilled North Sea workforce, no construction or design jobs for the Rosebank project were being created domestically. Instead, contracts were being sent overseas, with public ownership of energy infrastructure in Scotland and the UK being highlighted as a potential solution to ensure that natural resources benefit local workers and communities.

Mick Lynch of the RMT union criticised Equinor for profiting from Scotland’s resources while sending supply chain jobs abroad. He emphasised the importance of public ownership of energy infrastructure to prevent the relocation of work and to secure jobs for workers in Scotland and the UK. Roz Foyer from the STUC echoed the sentiment, stressing the need for a green industrial strategy that prioritises public equity in energy projects and supports the development of domestic supply chains.

The Rosebank project is currently facing legal challenges from climate activists, with Equinor recently merging its UK operations with Shell in what some view as an indication of the North Sea’s decline. Calls have been made for the UK and Scottish governments to intervene and bring energy contracts back home to increase job opportunities and energy security for local communities.

In conclusion, the contentious decision to build the Rosebank oil field’s main offshore vessel in Dubai has sparked criticism from trade unions in Scotland. The concerns raised about the lack of domestic job creation and the potential impact on local communities underscore the ongoing debate around public ownership of energy infrastructure and the need for a sustainable industrial strategy to support workers and industries in the region.