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Shell to Move Forward with Jackdaw Gas Platform Installation Despite Drilling Ban

Shell Advances Jackdaw Gas Platform Installation Despite Ban

Sky News has learned that Shell is set to install a multi-billion-pound gas platform in the North Sea this spring, despite being blocked from drilling due to a recent court ruling. The Jackdaw field, which has the potential to power over a million homes in the UK, requires new approval from the government for gas extraction after a Scottish court found that the previous Conservative administration acted “unlawfully” in granting consent for Shell’s Jackdaw and Rosebank projects.

The court ruling indicated that environmental assessments did not adequately consider the consequences of burning the oil and gas rather than merely extracting them. Consequently, a ban on drilling remains in effect until new permissions are issued.

Shell, which has welcomed this decision, is currently finalizing construction on the Jackdaw platform in Norway. While the company has not specified its next steps, it is expected that the platform will be towed into UK waters in the coming months.

A Shell representative stated, “The ruling rightly allows work to progress on this nationally important energy project while new consents are sought. We have spent over £800 million since the regulator approved Jackdaw in 2022. Swift action is needed from the government so that we and other North Sea operators can make informed decisions about vital UK energy infrastructure.”

The Rosebank field is operated by Equinor and Ithaca Energy. In light of the ruling, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s government has pledged to work quickly to reassess permissions, creating a potential political challenge for the Prime Minister, who previously vowed not to issue new oil and gas licenses during the general election campaign.

As the government seeks to stimulate economic growth, the oil companies, which have already invested hundreds of millions in these projects, are likely hoping that the political fallout from rejecting the licenses would be too significant for Labour to accommodate.

While Labour could approve the projects without violating its election promise—since they already have licenses and merely need final government consent—the court ruling has been hailed as a success by climate campaigners. Tessa Khan, executive director of the campaign group Uplift, commented, “The government must reject it. To do otherwise would undermine its ambitious clean growth plans by signaling to investors that the UK isn’t serious about transitioning away from expensive oil and gas.”

Credit: Sky News

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