# UK North Sea oil and gas project approvals > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/uk-north-sea-oil-and-gas-project-approvals > Updated: 2026-10-24T23:15:18.000Z. Sources: 59. Developments: 5. The British government has officially approved the development of the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea. Operated by the Adura joint venture between Shell, Equinor, and Ithaca Energy, the project is expected to account for approximately 6% of UK North Sea gas production at peak, providing enough energy to heat roughly 1.4 million homes. Following a period of legal uncertainty after the Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled that previous environmental assessments failed to account for emissions caused by burning extracted gas, the government granted drilling approval on 21 October 2026. Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh and Chancellor John Healey announced the decision, which aims to bolster domestic energy security amid international supply volatility caused by conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. Prime Minister Andy Burnham defended the decision as a “pragmatic” approach to energy security, stating the UK will require oil and gas for decades during its transition to renewables. To facilitate this transition, the government unveiled a £2 billion Energy Wealth Fund to invest oil and gas revenues into climate adaptation and renewable projects. The approval has faced sharp criticism from environmental groups, including Greenpeace and Uplift, as well as some Labour MPs, who characterized the move as “climate vandalism” and a betrayal of climate commitments. While the Jackdaw project has been cleared, the Rosebank oil field remains under intense scrutiny. Rosebank, located northwest of the Shetland Islands, is expected to be larger than Jackdaw but is also projected to generate higher greenhouse gas emissions. The project is currently awaiting a production decision from Energy Secretary Fahnbulleh. ## Claims - The UK government approved the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea. (disputed by 35 sources) - Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh approved gas drilling at the Jackdaw field. (disputed by 9 sources) - The field is expected to provide approximately 6% of UK North Sea gas production at peak. (corroborated by 24 sources) - A Scottish court previously overturned the project's consent in 2025. (corroborated by 15 sources) - Jackdaw is operated by Adura, a joint venture between Shell, Equinor, and Ithaca Energy. (corroborated by 10 sources) - Prime Minister Andy Burnham unveiled a £2 billion Energy Wealth Fund. (corroborated by 9 sources) - Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated the Jackdaw approval will protect hundreds of jobs. (corroborated by 9 sources) - The Jackdaw project was previously delayed by legal challenges from environmental groups. (corroborated by 8 sources) - The project is expected to be able to heat around 1.4 million homes. (corroborated by 7 sources) - The court ruling was based on the omission of emissions from burning the gas in environmental assessments. (corroborated by 7 sources) - The Jackdaw project is expected to be operational by the end of October. (corroborated by 6 sources) - The government has not yet reached a decision on the Rosebank oil field. (corroborated by 5 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-10-24: Rosebank oil field faces political scrutiny over climate and energy policy The Rosebank oil field in the North Atlantic awaits a UK government decision on production, sparking debate over climate change and energy policy. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/rosebank-oil-field-faces-political-scrutiny-over-climate-and-energy-policy ### 2026-10-20: UK approves Jackdaw North Sea gas field development The UK government has approved the Jackdaw North Sea gas field, expected to boost domestic gas production by 6% and support energy security, despite criticism from environmental campaigners. 44 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/jackdaw-gas-field-decision-expected-from-uk-government ### 2026-10-14: UK government to decide on North Sea Jackdaw gas field soon UK Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh stated a decision on the Jackdaw gas field is imminent, while a ruling on the Rosebank oil field is expected to take more time. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/uk-government-to-decide-on-north-sea-jackdaw-gas-field-soon ### 2026-10-11: Conservatives urge approval of Jackdaw and Rosebank oil fields The Conservative Party is urging the UK government to approve the Jackdaw and Rosebank oil and gas fields and scrap the North Sea windfall tax to protect jobs and investment. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/conservatives-urge-approval-of-jackdaw-and-rosebank-oil-fields ### 2026-10-06: Equinor warns UK investment appeal at risk over North Sea projects Equinor CEO Anders Opedal warned that rejecting the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas projects could undermine investment appeal in the UK North Sea. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/equinor-warns-uk-investment-appeal-at-risk-over-north-sea-projects --- Cite as: UK North Sea oil and gas project approvals. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/uk-north-sea-oil-and-gas-project-approvals