British government sources indicate that the Jackdaw gas field, located off Aberdeen, is expected to receive ministerial approval by the end of the month. The Rosebank oil field could also be approved before the end of the year.
Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh is expected to make her favorable recommendation for the development of the Jackdaw gas field as early as next week, according to people close to the matter. Formal approval could follow a week later.
The Jackdaw field is located in the North Sea, off the coast of Aberdeen. Its exploitation is contested by environmental groups, who see it as contradictory to the Labour government’s climate commitments.
Ministers are also considering the possibility of authorizing the Rosebank oil field, another controversial North Sea project, during the course of the year. These two decisions come amid a tense debate over UK energy policy, torn between supply security and the transition to renewable energy.
