AOC News

AOC is proud to present our latest short film, Anasuria: Voices from the North Sea, which highlights the future of the UK’s oil and gas sector, energy security, and the preservation of jobs in the industry.

Last month, our CEO Richard Beattie, alongside Peter Welsh and Gary Smith from the GMB, and Mark Wilson from Offshore Energies UK, visited the Anasuria FPSO. During this visit, we had the opportunity to hear firsthand from our crew, who shared their valuable perspectives on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the sector. Their concerns and insights are central to the discussion of how the UK can balance the transition to renewable energy while maintaining a strong domestic oil and gas production base.

The timing of this film is critical, coming just after the release of the North Sea Transition Taskforce report. This report calls for urgent policy actions to ensure a balanced approach to oil and gas production while transitioning towards renewable energy. The taskforce’s recommendations underscore the importance of maintaining a strong domestic oil and gas sector to ensure the UK’s energy security and economic stability.

In the video, our CEO Richard Beattie outlines the company’s position: “To protect UK jobs and safeguard the UK’s future energy needs, we must ensure fair policies for domestic oil and gas production, remove windfall taxes when windfall conditions do not exist, and ensure workers’ voices are heard in the debate.”

The film features interviews with not only our CEO but also members of the GMB, OEUK, and key Anasuria crew members including George Balfour, Bryan Irvine, and Spencer Towes. These voices offer a unique insight into the real-world impacts of energy policies on the workers and families who power the UK’s energy future.

The message is clear: the oil and gas sector is not just about corporations; it’s about the workers, the supply chains, and the broader UK economy. The future of the sector must consider the voices of all those who are affected by the policies and decisions made in this transition period.

We encourage everyone to watch the video and share their thoughts. At AOC, we believe in fostering an open conversation about the challenges facing the sector and the ways in which we can move forward together.

Watch the video on our LinkedIn page and join the conversation: What do you think about the UK’s energy future?

On Tuesday, 4th March 2025, Anasuria Operating Company (AOC) welcomed representatives from Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) and GMB Scotland to the Anasuria FPSO. Together, we engaged with the crew to discuss the future of the UK’s energy industry, job security, and the importance of long-term energy security.

The delegation included Richard Beattie, CEO of AOC; Mark Wilson, HSE and Operations Director of OEUK; Gary Smith, General Secretary of GMB Scotland and Peter Welsh, Head of Campaigns, Communications & Policy of GMB Scotland.

Through direct conversations with our offshore crew, we listened to their concerns, explored current industry challenges, and discussed the impact of government policies on their future. Since becoming the operator of the Anasuria FPSO – located approximately 100 miles east of Aberdeen – in 2016, AOC has invested significantly to improve uptime by around 30% and reduce emissions by 35%. These efforts have extended the FPSO’s production lifespan to at least 2035, securing over 150 onshore and offshore jobs, along with many more throughout the supply chain.

Gary Smith, GMB Scotland General Secretary, said:  “It was a privilege to travel offshore and speak directly with the Anasuria workforce and to hear their concerns about government plans for the future of their industry and jobs. The passion and pride they have for domestic energy production was palpable, but so too was their fear about the consequences of government imposing change on them.”

“It was also clear there is a pipeline of significant investment waiting in the wings, but only if government is prepared to listen to workers and industry, and replace uncertainty with certainty to help unlock that investment. GMB believes that as long as the UK needs oil and gas in its energy mix then there must be domestic offshore oil and gas production to support it. It is good for jobs, energy security and redistribution, and it simply makes sense, but needlessly accelerating the decline of this national asset in a time of increasing global uncertainty would make no sense whatsoever. We look forward to working with the Anasuria team in the weeks and months to come as we step-up the campaign for real-world energy policies to support the UK’s transition.”

Richard Beattie, CEO of Anasuria Operating Company, said: “Spending time on Anasuria this week with GMB and OEUK, listening to the concerns of the people onboard, has only strengthened my resolve to ensure their voices are heard, not lost in discussions, ideology or statistics. The industry is speaking with one voice on this issue. Anasuria Operating Company may not be a household name, but we provide hundreds of highly skilled jobs in the UK and hundreds of millions of pounds of investments and future opportunities, all while steadily reducing our emissions over the past 5 years. Our people operate in challenging, high-hazard conditions to deliver a vital resource, yet the entire industry faces uncertainty as the UK Government’s 78% tax continues to shift production overseas, only to be imported to the UK, whilst shutting down fields and assets long before the end of their natural life. This is not a threat or something that may happen in the future, this is happening now.”

“We have a world-class industry supporting over 200,000 UK jobs that should be celebrated and protected. One with immense potential to grow, invest, and support the UK economy while delivering energy security, creating jobs, and reducing emissions. This week, oil prices have fallen to their lowest level in 3–4 years, yet taxes have nearly doubled. Action is needed now to protect jobs, investment, and the future of the UK’s energy sector. We need immediate fiscal change and the removal of the 38% ‘windfall tax’ to ensure the UK remains an attractive place for investment. Oil and gas will remain a crucial part of the energy mix through 2050 and beyond – there is no viable alternative that can fully meet the UK’s energy needs, 45% of all energy today is imported and in 2050 Oil and Gas will still make up to 25% of the energy mix. We must support our own workers and economy, restoring the UK as a world-leading destination for investment. By unlocking the full potential of our energy industry with an attractive fiscal regime, we can drive innovation, increase government revenues, create new opportunities, and secure a strong future, delivering lasting benefits for UK workers, taxpayers, and future generations. The industry cannot wait until 2030, we need change now – before it’s too late.”

It is not often that operators, trade unions, and industry bodies stand side by side, but this visit demonstrated that – despite sometimes different perspectives – we all share a common goal: securing the future of the UK’s world class energy industry and its many skilled workers.