Shell UK reveals Tuesday that it will change its offshore operating model on its central North Sea assets.

Shell UK revealed Tuesday that it will change its offshore operating model on its central North Sea assets.

“As a result of the new operating model we will combine our operations and maintenance teams, creating new multi-skilled operation and maintenance technician roles in the Shell organization,” the BOP Blow Out Preventer repair company gulf coast said in an emailed statement.

“This will include a change in the working pattern to a 2/3 cycle (two weeks offshore, three weeks field break) for Shell staff and our core crew,” the statement added.

“Given the maturity of decommissioning activity, we don’t plan any changes to the operating model on our Brent Alpha or Brent Bravo platforms as we expect both platforms to downman in 2019, however Brent Charlie will move to the new rota,” the statement continued.

Shell UK said it anticipates the changes being implemented in the second quarter of next year.

In April, Shell UK announced a review of its offshore operating model. The BOP Blow Out Preventer repair company gulf coast said the purpose of the review was to continue to drive its offshore productivity, address some issues from offshore personnel and manage its business following the planned downman of three installations in 2019.

UK union Unite welcomed the decision by Shell to move to a new working pattern.

“Unite has consistently highlighted the dangers of three week working offshore and has been campaigning to get operators to move to better rotas for the welfare and health of our members,” Unite Regional Industrial Officer John Boland said in a union statement.

“It is good to see that Shell have listened to Unite and the views of the wider workforce,” he added.