Apache workers back strike that could disrupt North Sea Forties oil pipeline, union says

LONDON, Oct 5 (Reuters) - A strike by more than 160 offshore workers at US energy company Apache this month could disrupt the UK's North Sea Forties pipeline, a major conduit for UK oil and gas supplies, the Unite labour union said on Sunday.

• Unite said workers on seven North Sea assets operated by Apache overwhelmingly backed industrial action after rejecting a pay offer it described as a real-terms pay cut.

• The union warned that disruption could bring the Charlie platform to a standstill, potentially leading to a shutdown of the Forties pipeline system.

• Operated by Ineos, the Forties system transports crude from dozens of North Sea fields to Scotland and handles about 29% of UK oil production and 30% of its gas, Unite says.

• The system exports Forties Blend, one of the crude streams underpinning the Brent benchmark used to price much of the world's oil.

(Reporting by Ahmad GhaddarEditing by Alex Lawler and David Goodman)