OSLO (Reuters) – Three Norwegian labour unions agreed on a wage deal with the owners of floating offshore oil rigs, preventing a strike that could eventually have halted the exploration for new oil and gas reserves, the unions and companies said in separate statements on Thursday.

The deal between the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association and the Industri Energi, Safe and DSO labour unions comprises around 7,500 workers.

Companies drilling on behalf of oil firms in Norwegian waters include Transocean RIG.N, Odfjell Drilling ODFJ.OL, Maersk Drilling DRLCO.CO and Seadrill SDRL.OL.

A separate group of oil and gas production workers, who are employed directly by oil firms, is due to start mediation next week, and a strike could break out on Sept. 30 unless a wage deal is found, labour unions said on Wednesday.