Rosebank: Life on the oil field at the centre of a political storm

Shortly after the UK government approved gas production from the Jackdaw field in the North Sea, attention shifted to a wild patch of the North Atlantic, presenting a major decision for Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh. The Rosebank project is larger, generates higher greenhouse gas emissions, and promises greater profits for its owners, Adura and Ithaca.

Before Storm Boelo arrived with heavy rain and strong winds, journalists travelled to the Petrojarl Rosebank—a large floating production, storage, and offloading vessel (FPSO) chartered from Aberdeen-based Altera. The ship operates roughly 80 miles northwest of Shetland, constantly rolling on the North Atlantic swell.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

Nicola Boyd, who has worked offshore for nearly a decade, described the routine of spending two weeks on board followed by three weeks of leave. Lead mechanical technician Ewan Leonard noted that winter weather can be quite challenging, while Altera CEO Chris Brett described the environment west of Shetland as intensely harsh.

Despite the tough conditions, the 122 personnel on board benefit from excellent facilities, including talented chefs preparing diverse dishes day and night. Douglas Hogge, a production supervisor, emphasized that approval would secure production for long enough to carry workers through to their retirement.

"For myself and a lot of the guys, that would see us out to retirement."

Douglas Hogge

Environmental campaigners strongly disagree with the project. Tessa Khan, executive director of Uplift, argued that Rosebank is a poor deal for the public. In 2025, the Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled that previous approvals for Rosebank and Jackdaw were unlawful because regulators failed to assess emissions generated from burning the fossil fuels.