North Sea life evolves

摘要

The threatened closure of two offshore fabrication yards in north-east Scotland at the end of last year — with the potential loss of 3,000 jobs — fuelled widespread concern about the future of Britain's oil and gas industry. Barmac's warning that its Nigg and Ardersier facilities were looking down the barrel of a gun prompted an emergency debate in the House of Commons, and the government responded by setting up a working group. Meanwhile, Amec's yard on the Tyne is threatened with being mothballed after the completion of the Shell Expro Shearwater deck next month.