Owners of Norwegian oil rigs are considering imposing a lockout on workers as a high-stakes gamble to try to end a strike by almost 1,600 staff that began last week.

OSLO, July 19 (Reuters) - Close to 1,600 striking workers on Norwegian drilling rigs will end their industrial action after their union and the lobby group reprensenting their employers reached a deal, the Norwegian Shipowners' Association said on Thursday.

The strike began on July 10 after the Safe union and the Norwegian Shipowners' Association could not come to an agreement over wages and pension conditions. The industrial action led to the shutdown of one Shell-operated field.

(Reporting by Gwladys Fouche; Editing by Susan Fenton)