Prime Minister Andy Burnham is confronting a potential parliamentary revolt as he prepares to decide the fate of two major North Sea oil and gas fields. The decision, expected imminently as public consultations have closed, is shaping up to be one of the first significant tests of his premiership.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has publicly called for the approval of both the Jackdaw and Rosebank fields, tweeting, "It's time to get Britain drilling again." She argued that approving the projects would support jobs and livelihoods dependent on the North Sea, assist families struggling with rising energy costs, and bolster national energy security. "He should do it for the people of Aberdeen and hundreds of thousands more whose jobs and livelihoods depend on the North Sea. He should do it for the families across Britain struggling with rising energy costs. He should do it because energy security is national security. It's time to get Britain drilling again," Badenoch stated.
The Tories have warned that rejecting these projects could significantly harm the UK's oil and gas sector. Developers estimate that the fields could create over 3,500 jobs and generate more than £20 billion for the UK economy. Adura, the company behind the projects, projects that their development would bring in £10.8 billion in investment, with over three-quarters expected to be spent domestically. Extraction from these fields has the potential to supply 10% of the UK's domestic natural gas production, with Rosebank alone projected to yield approximately 69,000 barrels of oil per day at its peak.
However, the decision faces opposition from within Burnham's own party. Some Labour MPs, including Cat Eccles, are urging the Prime Minister to prioritize renewable energy development over further drilling. Eccles noted that Burnham had been in "listening mode" during a recent visit to her constituency, which has been impacted by wildfires.
Minister for Housing Matthew Pennycook stated that the government's position has never been to "turn the taps off" entirely in the North Sea, but acknowledged it is also not to "drill every drop." A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero affirmed that the North Sea remains a crucial national asset, supporting jobs, economic growth, and energy security. The department indicated that oil and gas will continue to be a significant part of the energy system for decades, alongside the transition to clean power to protect jobs and address the climate crisis.
Environmental groups have raised concerns about the climate impact of the Rosebank field, claiming it could produce over 250 million tonnes of CO₂, equivalent to 70% of the UK's annual emissions.
Burnham himself has previously expressed a pragmatic approach to North Sea drilling, telling the BBC last week that while the UK cannot immediately cease oil and gas consumption, the question is whether extraction can be accelerated to fund the transition to clean energy. "We won't be able to stop using oil and gas for some time, that's just a fact. The question is whether we can accelerate use of it so that we pay for the transition, and one thing helps the other... whether that extraction can be the bridge to the clean energy future we need, and bring it forward," he said.
A spokesman for Burnham indicated that the decision rests with Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh, declining to provide a timeline for the announcement.