Workers extended a strike indefinitely at Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.'s (CNR) Baobab and Espoir oil and gas fields in Ivory Coast, the SISPOO oil workers union said on Feb. 11.

A 72-hour strike was called early on Feb. 8 over the firing of workers and was extended on Feb. 11 after the parties failed to reach an agreement.

"As no solution is in sight, we hereby announce the extension of the strike until the conflict is resolved," SISPOO said in a letter to CNR on Feb. 10.

The union told Reuters on Feb. 8 that no gas was coming from any of CNR's platforms, and that output from those sites represented about 30% of Ivorian oil and gas production.

CNR could not be immediately reached for comment on Feb. 11.

The company produces about 70 million cubic feet per day of natural gas in Ivory Coast, which is critical for supplying the West African nation's gas-fired power plants.

It also pumps between 40,000 barrels per day (Mbbl/d) and 45 Mbbl/d of crude oil, mainly for export.