The UK has cleared gas production at Jackdaw, enabling a new source of domestic supply while leaving the separate consent decision for Rosebank in the North Sea unresolved.
On Oct. 21, Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh agreed that the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) could grant consent for production at Jackdaw, which already had a license. The NSTA then issued development and production consent. The government said supplies to British homes and businesses could begin from as early as the end of October 2026. It estimated the field could account for about 6% of UK gas production at peak over a lifespan of up to 11 years.
The government also relayed the developer’s estimates that Jackdaw would add about £2.9 billion to the UK economy, create 27 direct jobs and safeguard 273 existing jobs.
Rosebank is at a different stage: the government’s project record lists its application as “Under Review.” A Sept. 17 parliamentary answer said Fahnbulleh would decide later whether to agree to the NSTA granting consent, but gave no date. Adura, Rosebank’s operator, targets first oil in 2027 and estimates the project would support an average of 525 UK-based full-time jobs over its lifetime.
The Guardian reported, citing unnamed officials, that Fahnbulleh was considering refusing Rosebank consent. A department spokesperson told the newspaper the report was “speculation” and said the projects would be considered separately. Fahnbulleh also contrasted Jackdaw’s role supplying UK consumers with Rosebank’s mainly export-focused oil business, The Guardian reported.
The Court of Session ruled in January 2025 that the earlier consent decisions were unlawful because environmental assessments had not accounted for emissions released when the extracted fuels were burned. It ordered the consents to be reconsidered; Jackdaw’s renewed review of emissions from fuel use preceded the latest approval.
The Guardian’s unnamed sources expected a Rosebank decision before the end of 2026. The government has announced no timetable.
