Norway Oil-Refinery Strike Averted After Overtime Negotiations Lars Erik Taraldsen, Bloomberg News Equipment sits on the drilling platform on the Johan Sverdrup oil field off the coast of Norway in the North Sea, on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019. Sverdrup's earlier-than-expected start in October broke a long trend of underperformance for Norway's overall oil production. Photographer: Carina Johansen/Bloomberg , Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- Norwegian oil workers reached an agreement with their employers in overtime talks, averting a strike at the countryâs biggest refinery. Members of the SAFE union struck a deal with the Norwegian Oil & Gas Association, a lobby group representing employers, five hours after Mondayâs midnight deadline. That not only avoids a shutdown at the Mongstad refinery, but ensures that offshore fields feeding the plant also stay open.