Offshore Group Newcastle will start recruiting welders, platers, riggers and pipefitters early in the New Year after sealing the deal to build a new satellite production platform for the North Sea’s biggest oil field.

OGN plans to recruit 700 direct workers, 150 project management and design professionals and up to 300 on-site outsourced sub-contracted workers such as painters and scaffolders.

The project at the Wallsend yard will require around 9,500 tonnes of structural steel.

Onshore construction is expected to be complete by mid-year 2012. The platform will then be towed and installed at the Forties field location in the central North Sea.

The company has been born out of the ashes of SLP, a Lowestoft-based company, whose parent went into administration last year following a contractual dispute.

Hadrian’s Yard, which is owned by the engineering company, was mothballed as a consequence.

Dennis Clark, chairman of OGN, said: “The North Sea oil and gas market is coming back to life and infrastructure investment looks set to increase further, which is great for Tyneside and the North East region.”

OGN is banking on a steady stream of work as it also bids to make up to foundations for offshore wind turbines at the site.