Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh announced the controversial Jackdaw gas field, off the coast of Aberdeen, has finally been approved after a long-running legal saga
After years of wrangling, a decision has been reached on the Jackdaw gas field(Image: ADURA)
The controversial Jackdaw gas field in Scotland has been granted a drilling licence following a long legal battle.
The project, off the coast of Aberdeen, has been in limbo for two years after the High Court ruled a previous approval was invalid. Environmental groups had called for it be scrapped, while supporters said it would support up to 3,500 jobs and generate billions of pounds in tax revenues.
Although the government has said it wants to move away from fossil fuels and focus on greener sources of power, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the resulting sanctions has led to sharp rises in energy prices. This has been made worse by Donald Trump’s chaotic war in Iran, leading to calls to ramp up use of North Sea oil and gas.
The decision was announced by Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh.
She 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.”
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “I welcome the Energy Secretary’s decision, which will protect hundreds of jobs and help keep millions of homes warm this winter. At a time when people are really struggling, it’s right that we look in a responsible way at maximising the existing energy reserves we have in Britain that could help.
“We’re committed to moving towards renewable energy and reaching net zero by 2050. But even on our ambitious climate path, we’ll still require oil and gas as part of our energy needs for decades to come. That’s why we’re taking a pragmatic approach to the North Sea. We’re also establishing a new Energy Wealth Fund to invest in renewable energy, support the green transition and help reduce energy bills over the long-term.
“Our approach will ensure we can boost our energy security, back British workers, ringfence future North Sea proceeds to speed up the green transition, hit our ambitious climate targets and – crucially – bring down bills.”
It has been reported in recent weeks that the PM would give the go-ahead for drilling, alongside a wave of green energy projects.
Jackdaw has been awaiting approval since 2024 due to a High Court ruling that a previous licence was invalid because it had not taken all environmental consequences into account.
The gas field was approved while the Tories were in power in 2022 – but a court ruling threw this into chaos after accepting the climate impact had not been fully considered. Last year the Court of Session in Edinburgh found that Jackdaw had been unlawfully approved.
The decision was welcomed by unions, with GMB General Secretary Gary Smith saying the PM had done “the right thing for our country”.
He said: “For too long, this and other vital decisions on our gas supplies and storage have been put off, risking the UK’s energy security at a time of worrying international volatility.
“This positive direction of travel must continue at pace. GMB will continue to press for further, essential measures that increase our domestic energy capacity, such as granting permission for Rosebank.”
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “In my conversations with the Prime Minister and the Chancellor, I have been very clear that whilst we of course support net zero, we cannot have a jobless transition, abandon our energy security or offshore our carbon responsibilities. That is why we have argued for this decision on Jackdaw.
“This gives us a bit more time to create and fund a concrete plan for commensurate jobs for workers currently working in the North Sea. Now we urgently need to use that and invest in industries like wind turbine manufacture and refining green jet fuel. We simply cannot let go of one rope until we have hold of another.”
A decision on a second controversial North Sea project, the Rosebank oil field, is expected to be made at a later date. Both projects were approved by the last Conservative government but were struck down by the courts after a challenge from environmental campaigners, with ministers told they had not fully considered their environmental impact.
Jackdaw and Rosebank are operated by Adura, a joint venture between Shell and Norwegian energy firm Equinor, with Aberdeen’s Ithaca also owning 20% of Rosebank. Adura says Jackdaw could produce 6% of the UK’s gas output at its peak, although environmental groups put the figure at 2%.
