UK Government Expected to Approve Jackdaw Gas Field
The UK government is expected to announce a long-awaited decision on whether to approve the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea.
By Jack Fenwick and Benjamin Russell
Published 20 October 2026 Updated 3 minutes ago
It is widely believed in Westminster that Jackdaw will be approved, while a decision on the Rosebank oil field off Shetland remains pending.
The question of approving these sites has become politically significant, with delays stretching several months.
Multiple Whitehall sources have informed BBC News that the government will announce its decision on Jackdaw on Wednesday morning, with Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh expected to address MPs in the afternoon.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has advocated for a "flexible" approach to energy and is thought to support drilling at sites with existing licenses, like Jackdaw.
Jackdaw, located about 150 miles (241.4km) east of Aberdeen, is a gas field that its operators claim could be connected to the UK network within months.
Rosebank, approximately 80 miles (128.7km) north-west of Shetland, is Britain's largest untapped oil field, also expected to produce some gas.
These fields have sparked intense debates, legal wrangling, and public consultations for years, with industry bodies and environmentalists presenting their arguments to the UK government.
Licences for both fields were granted by the Conservative UK government in 2022 and 2023, leading to legal challenges from environmental groups.
The Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled last year that Rosebank and Jackdaw were unlawfully approved, as the government failed to consider the climate impact of burning extracted oil and gas.
Environmentalists oppose drilling, citing the need to reduce planet-warming carbon emissions and the potential harm to energy security, while industry bodies argue that production will provide jobs and enhance energy security.