UK government approves drilling in Jackdaw gas field

The UK government has approved plans to begin drilling in the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea.

The decision by the North Sea Transition Authority ends months of speculation about the future of the project, which owner Adura said could deliver around 6% of UK North Sea gas production.

Britain's Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh, who gave approval for the NSTA to grant consent for drilling, said the move will "support the country's energy security with homegrown gas this winter".

Prime Minister Andy Burnham added the decision will "protect hundreds of jobs and help keep millions of homes warm", but stressed it would not hinder the government’s targets on renewable energy.

The drilling project is one of two - alongside the Rosebank oil field off Shetland - which were approved by the previous Conservative government.

Both were approved for drilling licences in June 2022, but this was overturned by the Scottish courts after a challenge from environmental campaigners.

This came after a UK Supreme Court ruling that developers had to account for the climate impact caused by burning fossil fuels in their planning applications.

Fresh public consultations on the proposals took place this year and closed in August, and the government gave the green light to Jackdaw this morning.

Amanda Grimm, advocacy lead for Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, said: "Drilling the Jackdaw field will do nothing to solve our problems. It will not cut sky-high power bills for struggling households.

"It will not stop the loss of North Sea jobs. And it will not provide reliable energy supplies for the future.

"Burning the last of our gas will merely help cook the climate while ordinary folk foot the bill.

"The reality is: domestically produced or not, any new gas will add extra fuel to the fire of climate breakdown, sparking more disasters like the deadly heatwaves, floods, wildfires and droughts already happening here and around the world."

Announcing the decision, Ms Fahnbulleh said: "Following careful consideration of all relevant factors, I have agreed that the regulator can grant consent for gas to be produced at Jackdaw, which will begin to supply the UK with gas from this winter thanks to the highly skilled and vital North Sea workers.

"This decision will support the country’s energy security with homegrown gas this winter and help minimise the UK’s use of imported higher emission fuels as we continue our transition to renewables and nuclear.

"The decision is compatible with our legally binding climate commitments, and we remain resolute in ending new licences for oil and gas and achieving net zero by 2050."

A decision on Rosebank, the largest untapped oil field in the North Sea, is being made separately, with Ms Fahnbulleh saying it will take "a bit longer".

Mr Burnham previously said he would "take a pragmatic approach when it comes to the North Sea" since coming to power in the summer.

He has faced pressure from environmental groups to "stick to the spirit of Labour’s manifesto commitment" and refuse consent for either of the schemes.

The 2024 manifesto committed to issuing no new oil and gas licences for the North Sea.

However, proponents of Jackdaw and Rosebank within the party have argued that neither are new fossil fuel fields, given the wheels were in motion to tap them ahead of Labour coming to power.