Norway oil strike may see breakthrough

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OSLO, Norway, July 2 (UPI) -- Roughly two weeks of labor strikes from offshore workers in Norway appear to be coming to an end as negotiations seem likely, an official said.

Around 700 employees from Norwegian energy company Statoil, a BP subsidiary and other national oil companies decided to strike over pensions. The Norwegian Oil Industry Association estimates the work stoppage halted 15 percent of the country's oil production and halted 7 percent of its natural gas output.

Jan Hodneland, an employee policy official at the association, said in a statement that it appeared offshore workers were ready for serious talks.

"Their refusal to escalate the stoppage could mean that the desire to pursue a confrontation is minimal," he said in a statement. "Our door is open, and we would welcome a dialogue to end this dispute."

Statoil estimated the labor strike cut oil production as much as 250,000 barrels per day. The strike, according to Hodneland, cost the energy sector around $25 million per day.

He contended strikers were "completely unreasonable" in their demands.