New North Sea Drilling Would Barely Reduce UK Gas Imports at All
Opening major new fields in the North Sea would make almost no difference to the United Kingdom's heavy reliance on gas imports, according to exclusive research findings. The data reveals that even the largest unexploited gasfields would displace only a tiny fraction of current import volumes, leaving the nation still overwhelmingly dependent on supplies from Norway and other international sources.
Minimal Impact from Jackdaw and Rosebank Fields
The Jackdaw field, one of the most significant untapped gas reserves in the North Sea, would displace merely 2% of the UK's current gas imports over its operational lifetime of nine to twelve years. Meanwhile, the Rosebank field, located in Scottish waters but containing predominantly oil, would reduce gas import dependency by only about 1% on average.
Tessa Khan, executive director of campaign group Uplift which compiled the data from public sources, stated: "New fields like Jackdaw and Rosebank would do vanishingly little to boost UK gas production. Even in the most optimistic scenario, and assuming none of its gas is exported, Jackdaw would provide just 2% of UK demand."
False Promises of Energy Security and Economic Benefits
Authorities including the UK Energy Research Centre have previously demonstrated that new drilling operations would not reduce oil and gas prices or enhance the nation's energy security. The industry faces steep and irrecoverable decline as 90% of the UK's North Sea oil and gas has already been extracted and consumed.
Furthermore, these projects are unlikely to generate durable employment opportunities or substantial new tax revenues. Companies are actually demanding tax breaks to access these challenging fields, which are more difficult to exploit than existing reserves.
Political Pressure and Climate Concerns
Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband faces mounting pressure from multiple directions regarding these controversial projects. The fossil fuel industry, Nigel Farage's Reform UK party, certain trade unions, and Conservative politicians are all urging approval for Jackdaw and Rosebank. These fields escape Labour's ban on new North Sea drilling licenses because their applications were already submitted before the current government took office.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has previously expressed support for drilling, though she recently emphasized renewable power as the solution to recurrent oil crises during a G7 energy meeting. Miliband has not yet reached a decision on either field and continues to evaluate potential impacts.
Climate Commitments and Export Realities
Philip Evans, a senior climate campaigner at Greenpeace UK, warned: "Our fossil fuels are provided by a volatile global market which we cannot control, and is regularly upturned by reckless wars and blockades. The only path to real security is to leave fossil fuels behind as quickly as possible."
Regarding Rosebank specifically, Khan noted: "Rosebank is oil for profit, not our security. Its reserves – which, if burned, would see the UK breach its climate commitments – are predominantly oil for export."
Regulatory Delays and Market Realities
The North Sea regulator has requested additional information from Adura Energy, owner of the Jackdaw field, concerning greenhouse gas emissions and other license application matters. This process could extend for weeks or longer, delaying any imminent decision. Decisions on Jackdaw and Rosebank may be considered separately.
Recent data from the End Fuel Poverty Coalition reveals that oil and gas companies have seen their valuations swell dramatically due to geopolitical conflicts. Since the start of recent hostilities, BP's market capitalization increased by nearly a quarter, adding £17 billion, while Exxon Mobil grew by nearly a fifth with an £87 billion increase.
Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, observed: "That is not a market working in the public interest, it is a market rewarding the companies whose products are driving up the bills that millions of households cannot afford to pay."
Households continue to struggle with energy debt accumulated since the 2022 oil crisis triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Francis added: "It's clear that we need long-term reform to stop history repeating itself and prevent the scourge of fuel poverty staying with us for decades."
The UK will join approximately 50 nations at a major climate conference in Colombia later this month, where governments will begin formulating plans to phase out fossil fuels entirely.
A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero stated: "Our priority is to deliver a fair, orderly and prosperous transition in the North Sea in line with our climate and legal obligations, which drives our clean energy future of energy security, lower bills, and good long-term jobs."
