Britainupdated 43m ago2 min read
UK Approves Jackdaw Gas Field, Andy Burnham Says It Protects Jobs And Warms Homes
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UK approves drilling at Jackdaw gas field to boost energy security and heating homes. First gas by month’s end, supplying about 6% of UK gas.
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Jackdaw approved, debate erupts
The UK government approved drilling in the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea, with Labour Prime Minister Andy Burnham saying the decision “will protect hundreds of jobs and help warm millions of homes this winter.” The government said Jackdaw is situated 150 miles (241km) east of Aberdeen and that it could begin producing gas by the end of this month, while ministers also announced the creation of a new energy wealth fund.
Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said the gas from Jackdaw would be in homes and businesses this month, and she argued the decision would “help minimise the UK's use of imported higher emission fuels as we continue our transition to renewables and nuclear.” Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch urged the prime minister to overturn a ban on new oil and gas licences, accusing Burnham of “dithering” on Jackdaw even as Burnham said his party had “messed up” the original decision.
Claims on bills and jobs
Adura said Jackdaw could provide about 6% of the UK's gas production and contribute more than £28 billion to the country’s economy, with support for more than 3,500 jobs. The BBC reported that Adura said Jackdaw would provide about 6% of UK gas production, enough to power 1.4 million homes, and it added that after imports are included that amounts to about 2% of total UK demand.
Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh told BBC Radio Scotland Breakfast that the decision would not lower energy bills this winter, even as she said it was compatible with the government’s legally binding climate commitments. Sam Street, a director at consultancy Frontier Economics, said “Jackdaw would reduce import dependence and improve supply resilience, but only to a limited extent,” and he argued that UK gas prices are closely linked to European prices influenced by the global cost of liquefied natural gas.
Rosebank next, climate stakes
The UK government still had not decided whether production can begin at Rosebank, the UK's largest known untapped oil field located off the coast of Shetland in the North Atlantic. The BBC said a decision on whether production can begin at Rosebank was yet to be taken, and it described Rosebank as a separate question from Jackdaw.
Environmental campaigners and the Green Party framed the approval as “climate vandalism,” while Greenpeace said the approval showed “the toxic grip fossil fuel lobbyists still hold over our energy policy.” The government’s energy wealth fund was set to start with an initial £2bn of funding, and the BBC reported that John Swinney hoped the announcement would provide certainty for the north east of Scotland and that the fund should be “prioritised for offshore renewable opportunities and be ringfenced to be focused on the north east of Scotland.”