The UK government is expected to approve the Jackdaw gas field off the coast of Aberdeen in mid-September, according to government and industry sources cited by the BBC. The decision would come just before Parliament breaks for party conference season.
The project was first approved by the Conservative government in 2022 but was halted by a legal ruling in Scotland after environmental groups argued that consent had been granted without fully considering the climate impact.
Jackdaw is operated by Adura, a joint venture between Shell and Norway’s Equinor, which also operates the Rosebank oil field off Shetland. Adura says Jackdaw will account for 6 per cent of UK gas output at peak production. Environmental groups say the field will supply only 2 per cent of UK use once imports are included.
Court ruling and consultation
Campaigners brought legal challenges after Jackdaw was approved in 2022 and after Rosebank was given the go-ahead in 2023. In January 2025 the Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled that both fields had been unlawfully approved because the government had not taken into account the emissions from burning the oil and gas extracted from them.
The judge ordered more detailed climate assessments to be published. Those updated estimates were put out for consultation in July, and the public consultation on Jackdaw and Rosebank closed in August.
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