U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Britain’s renewed approval of the Jackdaw gas field Wednesday and urged wider North Sea drilling, while UK officials said the project would not materially lower consumer bills.
In a Truth Social post, Trump urged Britain to “go FULL BLAST!!!” and said North Sea drilling would make the UK “very wealthy again.” He invoked the region’s oil resources while praising Jackdaw, which the government describes as a gas-condensate field. Trump also called for wind turbines to be removed.
The North Sea Transition Authority granted development and production consent to Adura Operations Limited (Adura). The government projects that Jackdaw will increase domestic gas production by about 6% at peak output and could begin supplying gas by the end of October.
Adura estimates the project will generate £2.9 billion in gross value added during operations. It also projects 27 direct jobs and the protection of 273 existing jobs. Those are the developer’s estimates, while the government expects Britain to remain a net gas importer throughout the field’s operating life of up to 11 years.
The government expects no material change in consumer bills because UK gas prices largely track global markets, as detailed in earlier coverage of Jackdaw’s supply and bill impact.
Jackdaw first received consent in 2022. Scotland’s Court of Session ruled in 2025 that the environmental assessment had omitted emissions from burning the gas, prompting a renewed review. The government found the project’s greenhouse-gas emissions likely to have a significant environmental effect but concluded it would not prevent Britain from meeting its climate targets.
The Independent reported that U.S. Ambassador to the UK Warren Stephens welcomed the decision and expressed hope that the separate Rosebank project would also be approved. Ministers have said Rosebank will receive its own decision but have announced no date.
