The UK government has approved the controversial Jackdaw gasfield in the North Sea off the coast of Scotland. The decision allows the Shell and Equinor joint venture, Adura, to begin operations within weeks, with gas expected to arrive onshore in days.
Government officials stated that the project will improve energy security and reduce the country's dependence on imported energy as it transitions to renewable sources, seeking to tackle high energy costs. The Shell Group predicts that the field can produce around 6.5% of the UK's gas production at its peak.
The move has drawn sharp criticism from environmental groups, left-wing politicians, and a number of Labour MPs who argue that the project undercuts pledges to reduce carbon emissions. The decision forced Prime Minister Andy Burnham to take sides in a years-long fight over the future of the North Sea. While Labour’s 2024 election manifesto committed to a ban on new drilling licenses in the North Sea, the companies behind Jackdaw sought environmental approval for existing licenses.
Jackdaw is the first new gas extraction project in the North Sea since a government moratorium in 2024. The project revives a North Sea venture whose previous consent was quashed by a Scottish court over its climate impact.