Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields face UK approval review

The UK government faces a critical decision regarding the approval of the Rosebank oil field and the Jackdaw gas field following court rulings that overturned previous environmental assessments. An independent analysis suggests that the global economic damage from carbon emissions produced by these projects could range between £119 billion and £336 billion, significantly exceeding the £28.7 billion in value estimated by the Adura joint venture between Shell and Equinor.

The Rosebank project, located in the North Atlantic, is expected to account for approximately 88% of these potential climate-related damages due to its 25-year production life and projected 250 million tonnes of carbon emissions. In contrast, the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea is smaller, with an 11-year lifespan and estimated emissions of 24 million tonnes.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh are navigating conflicting pressures from the energy industry and unions versus environmental campaigners and climate scientists. While Jackdaw could potentially displace imported liquefied natural gas and aid domestic energy security, Rosebank's oil is expected to be sent to the Netherlands for refining, offering little direct benefit to UK energy security.