Scotland’s First Minister has said he hopes the announcement of approval for the Jackdaw gas field “will provide some certainty for the north east” of Scotland.
Wednesday’s decision brought to an end months of speculation about the development, which is based 150 miles off the coast of Aberdeen.
In a post on X on Wednesday during a visit to India, John Swinney said UK Government policy in recent years had led to “many years of difficulty” for the energy sector in Scotland.
But the stance of the Scottish Government in recent years has shifted, from Nicola Sturgeon’s presumption against new oil and gas to a softer approach under Mr Swinney.
The Government has still not confirmed its move away from opposing oil and gas by publishing a finalised energy strategy, with reports this week suggesting it could be late 2027 before the document is released.
“I hope today’s announcement on Jackdaw will provide some certainty for the north east after many years of difficulty thanks to UK Government policy,” the First Minister said.
“It must also kickstart a renewed drive to deliver our long-standing clean energy ambitions.
“Climate compatibility tests must have formed the basis of the UK Government’s decision, alongside a recognition that carbon emissions from this field would have been lower than imports.”
Groups representing the offshore industry have long called for the UK Government to approve the new development, stressing the economic and energy security benefits.
However, environmental groups say there is no case for new drilling if climate commitments are to be met.
Industry groups have stressed the economic benefits (Andrew Milligan/PA)
PA Archive
Russell Borthwick, chief executive of Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce, said: “This is a hugely welcome decision, and exactly the sort of pragmatic call the North Sea has been crying out for.
“Jackdaw is 99.9% complete and, with approval now secured, gas from this field will be flowing into homes up and down the country within weeks.
“This is a direct, tangible boost to the UK’s energy security at a time when it matters most.
“Every molecule of gas we produce in the North Sea, under some of the world’s highest environmental standards, is a molecule we don’t have to import on a tanker from overseas.”
He added: “But Jackdaw cannot be the end of the story. Rosebank is every bit as vital to our energy security and every bit as ready to deliver for the UK supply chain anchored here in the north east of Scotland.
“Government must now move with the same urgency and pragmatism and get Rosebank over the line without further delay.”
The Scottish Tory leader welcomed the decision (Jacob King/PA)
PA Wire
Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay said the Jackdaw decision was “a victory for Scotland’s oil and gas workers”.
He added: “Andy Burnham must now stop dithering and give Rosebank the green light without any further delay.
“Anything less would risk our energy security, harm investment, and be a kick in the teeth for families whose livelihoods depend on it.”
Jack Middleton, SNP MSP for Aberdeen Central, added: “Approving Jackdaw is the right decision, but fundamental questions remain unanswered.
“Andy Burnham’s silence on Rosebank is deafening, and there is no assurance that the establishment of a North Sea Wealth Fund will benefit Scottish industry alone.
“Labour has kept the workforce waiting while it stalled the Jackdaw decision for its own political convenience.
“Now workers are being dragged through the same uncertainty again with Rosebank.”
Stephen Gethins called for a fund to be set up (Liam McBurney/PA)
PA Wire
The Scottish Government’s energy minister, Stephen Gethins, said the economic benefits of the Jackdaw field must be felt in Scotland.
He said: “Perhaps the most significant failure of the past half-century of Westminster energy policy has been the failure to establish a futures fund.
“The UK has been almost the only country to discover oil and gas but not deliver a long-term benefit from a finite resource. That must change today.
“It is crucial that all further income from oil and gas resources taken by the UK Treasury is placed in a future generations fund. That would deliver a long-term benefit from a limited resource.”
He continued: “I am sure that the Prime Minister will agree that it is absolutely critical that if any new production goes ahead, then the economic benefits should be felt in Scotland and should be used to bring energy bills down, rather than flowing to plug more short-term spending gaps by the Treasury.
“The UK Government must also replace the Energy Profits Levy with a fair system that protects jobs, energy security and investment in our energy sector.”
Angela Hepworth, chief executive of Scottish Renewables, said global events have brought the need for domestic energy into “sharper focus”.
She said: “Today’s decision must now be matched by a renewed drive to deliver our long-standing clean energy ambitions.
Scottish Labour leader Michael Marra said the Scottish and UK governments needs to work together on energy (PA)
PA Wire
“The UK needs a pragmatic approach to its energy future that secures investment, jobs and energy supplies in a volatile world.”
She added: “As the global shift towards electrification continues, the case for homegrown clean energy is stronger than ever.”
Scottish Labour leader Michael Marra said the decision to approve Jackdaw was a “strong vote of confidence in the future of Scotland’s world-leading energy sector”.
He said: “It is the right decision for Scotland’s energy security, our industrial base and the skilled workers who have powered our economy for generations.”
Mr Marra said Jackdaw was a “key development in Scotland’s reindustrialisation” and added: “This is about putting industry and pragmatism before narrow ideology – the next step for Scotland should be new nuclear and renewable projects built by Scottish workers.
“That will require the Scottish and UK governments to work together, and I urge them to do so.”
Reform UK Scotland MSP Duncan Massey said “sanity has finally prevailed”, adding: “It is plain common sense to harness our own resources rather than remain dependent on imports.
“One field, however, is the absolute bare minimum after successive governments and the SNP’s ideological presumption against new oil and gas has inflicted serious harm on the sector.
“The Government has confirmed that it will continue to block new exploration and licences and remains silent on the bigger prize of Rosebank.
“But the same case applies across the entire North Sea: skilled jobs, a secure supply chain, investment and tax receipts that Scotland and the UK desperately need.”