Scotland to drop opposition to new North Sea oil and gas fields

The Scottish government, led by the Scottish National Party (SNP), is preparing to revise its energy strategy to drop its long-standing presumption against new oil and gas exploration in the North Sea. According to senior officials, the upcoming strategy—expected by summer—will move away from the opposition stance established in a 2023 draft document.

While the Scottish government maintains limited direct power over licensing projects like the Jackdaw gas field or the Rosebank oil field, it can exert significant political pressure on the UK government. The policy shift follows an SNP resolution in Aberdeen stating that domestic oil and gas production is preferable to imports, a move influenced by recent electoral challenges in the region.

Under the new approach, the government will continue to review whether new projects comply with existing climate targets, but it will no longer approach new fields with an inherent presumption of opposition.