A major gas field in the North Sea has been re-approved by the government following years of legal rows with environment campaigners.
The Jackdaw site, a large offshore natural gas field 150 miles east of Aberdeen, has received the official stamp of approval from the government and is expected to supply gas to the UK “by the end of the month”.
The project was first green-lit the project back in 2022, but has faced successful legal challenges from activists over its climate impact.
Multiple industry bodies, and US President Donald Trump, have urged Labour to re-approve the project in a bid to boost energy security and the economy.
“Following careful consideration of all relevant factors, I have agreed that the regulator can grant consent for gas to be produced at Jackdaw,” energy secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said.
She added it will “begin to supply the UK with gas from this winter” and would “support the country’s energy security with homegrown gas”.
Fanbulleh said it would minimise the use of “imported higher emission fuels”.
Labour has said the fresh approval does not warrant a breach of its manifesto pledge to end new oil and gas licences, arguing the original licence predates it taking office in 2024.
“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,” Fanbulleh said.
Jackdaw is expected to contribute up to six per cent of UK-produced gas at its peak, according to developer Adura, but campaign group Uplift forecasts this will equate to two per cent of overall demand.
Despite the approval for Jackdaw, a decision on Rosebank – Britain’s largest untapped oil field, which was also approved by the Tories – still remains in limbo. The site is around 80 miles north-west of Shetland and would be expected to produce some gas, though mainly oil.
Last year, the Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled that Rosebank and Jackdaw had been unlawfully approved after the government failed to take into account the climate impact of burning extracted oil and gas from the sites.