Controversial Jackdaw gas field set to be approved in weeks
The UK government is reportedly set to approve the controversial Jackdaw gas field off Aberdeen by mid-September, amid environmental concerns.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- The controversial Jackdaw gas field off Aberdeen is expected to receive approval in September.
- Owners estimate it will supply 6% of UK gas demand, while campaigners claim it is only 2%.
- The project faced previous delays following a Scottish court ruling over climate impact assessments.
- Construction is 99% complete, potentially delivering gas to UK homes as early as this winter.
The UK government is poised to grant approval for a controversial new gas field located off the coast of Aberdeen, according to government and industry sources. Official authorization for the Jackdaw project could arrive as early as mid-September, just before Parliament breaks for the autumn party conference season.
The gas field had previously secured approval under the former Conservative administration in 2022, but subsequent legal challenges from environmental campaigns successfully argued that consent had been granted without properly evaluating the broader climate implications.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Last year, the Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled that both Jackdaw and the Rosebank oil field had been unlawfully approved because the government failed to factor in the carbon emissions resulting from burning the extracted fossil fuels. A judge mandated the publication of updated climate assessments, which subsequently underwent a public consultation period in July.
Both Jackdaw and Rosebank are operated by Adura, a joint venture uniting energy giants Shell and Norway's Equinor. Adura indicated that should approval be granted this September, the facility could begin supplying gas to domestic households this winter since project construction is already 99 percent complete.
This upcoming decision highlights the ongoing tension in UK energy policy between ensuring domestic supply security during times of geopolitical volatility and adhering to strict carbon reduction commitments required to combat global climate change.
Environmental groups, including Uplift, have strongly criticized the move, arguing that additional North Sea drilling will fail to lower household energy bills or make meaningful differences to national energy security, emphasizing that remaining fossil fuel reserves must stay in the ground.
"The science is clear that the world already has far more oil and gas than can ever be safely burned if we are to limit warming."
Tessa Khan, Executive Director of Uplift
A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero stated that the department does not comment on speculation, adding that the North Sea remains a vital national asset expected to play a continuing role in the energy mix alongside the transition to clean power.
Source: BBC Business
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