A survey by Oilandgaspeople.com has found that a majority of North Sea oil and gas workers will vote in favour of an independent Scotland.

A poll of more than 1,000 workers found that 64% plan to vote yes in a referendum that is due to take place in September 2014.

In a separate survey, more than half of 5,000 workers said they wanted to see more investment in British training.

Another 31% said production and efficiency of oil fields needs to be improved drastically, and 51% said skills shortage is a major issue.

About 24% of the workers called for the establishment of a government-appointed and beefed-up regulator for safety and efficiency improvements in the industry.

"We’re delighted with the findings of this survey, which show that oil and gas workers overwhelmingly back Yes."

Oilandgaspeople.com CEO Kevin Forbes said: "The survey today has found that the workers in the North Sea oil and gas industry want an independent Scotland.

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"They clearly don’t believe the concerns that Scotland’s economy will suffer after independence.

"However, the survey also found that while the workers are keen on independence, many still believe that many issues still need to be addressed urgently to effectively safeguard the future of the industry."

Yes Scotland trade union coordinator Cailean Gallagher said: "We’re delighted with the findings of this survey, which show that oil and gas workers overwhelmingly back Yes.

"They are the ones who know their industry best and know that oil and gas will continue to play a key role in the Scottish economy for decades to come."

Gallagher said that Westminster misused £300bn of oil and gas tax revenues, but there is still even more value to come from the North Sea than has been generated to date.

Gallagher added: "Only with a Yes vote for an independent Scotland can we take a different strategy from Westminster and set up an oil fund to ensure that the next 40 years of North Sea revenues benefit the people of Scotland."

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