A long-delayed North Sea decision that has been trailed for months is now settled: the UK government has approved drilling plans for the Jackdaw gas field.
The North Sea Transition Authority’s ruling ends a period of uncertainty over the project, which its owner Adura has said could account for about 6% of UK North Sea gas production.
Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh, who signed off on the NSTA granting consent, said the development will “support the country’s energy security with homegrown gas this winter”.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the go-ahead will “protect hundreds of jobs and help keep millions of homes warm”, while insisting the move would not derail the government’s renewable energy ambitions.
Jackdaw is one of two high-profile North Sea projects — alongside the Rosebank oil field west of Shetland — that were backed under the previous Conservative administration.
Both schemes received drilling licences in June 2022, but the Scottish courts later overturned that approval after environmental campaigners mounted a legal challenge.
The case followed a UK Supreme Court judgment requiring developers to include the climate impact of burning fossil fuels in their planning applications.
Earlier this year, ministers reopened the proposals to public consultation; that process concluded in August. On that basis, the government confirmed Jackdaw’s approval this morning.
Amanda Grimm, advocacy lead for Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, criticised the decision, saying: “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.
Fossil Free London activists protest outside the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero in September
“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.”
Setting out the government’s position, 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.”
Rosebank — described as the biggest untapped oil field in the North Sea — will be decided separately, with Ms Fahnbulleh saying a conclusion will take “a bit longer”.
Mr Burnham has previously signalled he would “take a pragmatic approach when it comes to the North Sea” after taking office in the summer.
Environmental organisations have urged him to “stick to the spirit of Labour’s manifesto commitment” by withholding consent for both developments.
Labour’s 2024 manifesto pledged that no new oil and gas licences would be issued for the North Sea.
Supporters of Jackdaw and Rosebank within the party, however, have argued neither amounts to a new fossil fuel field because the process to bring them onstream began before Labour entered government.
