UK approves long-delayed Jackdaw gas field

By Reuters News

LONDON, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Britain on Wednesday approved the Jackdaw North Sea gas field, ending years of legal and political wrangling that had pitted the Labour government's climate commitments against its push to bolster energy security.

Adura, the joint venture between energy giants Shell SHEL.L and Norway's Equinor EQNR.OL that operates the project, has said Jackdaw will produce up to 40,000 barrels of oil equivalent of natural gas per day at peak output.

The previous Conservative government approved Jackdaw in 2022, but climate activists challenged the decision in court alongside approval for the Rosebank oil and gas field. A 2025 ruling barred operators from extracting oil or gas until they received fresh government consent that takes into account emissions from the burning of the fields' hydrocarbons.

The decision has taken on added significance for Prime Minister Andy Burnham since he took office in July.

Britain's high energy costs for households and industry have weighed on the economy, while US President Donald Trump has repeatedly urged Burnham to expand drilling in the North Sea to help lower prices.

At the same time, the issue has become a rallying point for climate activists, who say approving new fossil fuel projects undermines Labour's green pledges and ignores warnings from a summer of record-breaking heat across Europe.

Jackdaw could begin production this winter as most of the necessary infrastructure is already in place.

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