A government approval would allow the Jackdaw gas field to start supplying domestic customers before winter, if ministers clear the project in September. The field sits east of Aberdeen and is run by Adura, a joint venture owned by Shell and Equinor. Adura says construction is essentially complete, and that a green light could let the site flow gas to the UK by the end of the year.
Jackdaw was originally consented in 2022, but a Scottish court found the approval process had not fully considered its climate impact and ordered more detailed assessments. Adura published updated lifecycle emissions estimates and other data in July, then closed a public consultation in August to meet the court’s direction.
The company’s modelling projects lifecycle emissions of 35.8m tonnes of carbon over 11 years, with a lower scenario of about 23.6m tonnes. Adura has compared those totals with Scotland’s 2023 emissions. The firm also says Jackdaw could supply roughly 6% of UK gas needs, a figure disputed by campaigners who estimate the field would meet nearer to 2% of demand.
Supporters frame Jackdaw as a practical step for energy security. They say domestic output would protect jobs and help sustain other North Sea installations, including the Shearwater processing hub. Industry leaders point to tighter global markets and rising wholesale prices this year to argue for added local supply. Chris O’Shea, chief executive of Centrica, said, "so it's got to be good" and added that extra domestic supply "wouldn't lower the cost materially" while noting higher tax rates on North Sea profits would raise government revenues.
Opponents warn the field would conflict with climate commitments and make negligible difference to consumer bills. Tessa Khan of Uplift, which brought one of the legal challenges, said, "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." She added that more drilling would "make no meaningful difference" to energy costs or security.
Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh holds the final decision. Energy Minister Kate White told MPs, "The process ended in August, and the Secretary of State will be taking those decisions in due course." Sources close to the process say a mid-September announcement, before Parliament recesses for party conferences, remains the expected timetable, setting a clear deadline for ministers to weigh energy security, industry claims and emissions estimates.
