Adura has provided further information to the UK Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED) regarding its Jackdaw and Rosebank oil and gas projects in the North Sea.
The submission is in response to a request for additional details from OPRED as both fields require renewed regulatory approval before production can begin.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
In January 2025, the Court of Session in Edinburgh overturned the UK Government’s approvals for the Jackdaw and Rosebank projects following a legal challenge by environmental groups. The court ruled that the government’s approval of the two developments was unlawful, requiring a new review by the authorities.
Jackdaw and Rosebank are currently at an advanced stage of development and construction, with a combined investment exceeding £3bn to date.
The two fields are expected to play a significant role in economic activity and job support within the UK.
Adura estimates that the projects will contribute a combined gross value added of £28.7bn over their lifespans, mainly benefitting Scotland through direct and supply chain activities.
The company expects tax revenues of £1.4bn to be generated before the end of the current parliament and a total of £3.8bn before the conclusion of the next parliament in 2034.
Peak annual tax revenue is forecast to reach more than £720m.
Employment projections include 3,500 jobs at peak construction, with 880 jobs to be sustained during production and 125 apprenticeships across UK communities.
On energy security, Adura reports that, together, Jackdaw and Rosebank could account for up to 10% of UK natural gas output.
The Jackdaw field alone is projected to supply more than 6% of UK gas by this winter, sufficient, according to Adura, to heat 1.4 million homes. Rosebank could represent 4% of national gas output and 10% of UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) oil production, making a contribution to refined product supply in north-west Europe.
Adura has stated that oil and gas currently provide around 75% of the UK’s energy needs. The company notes that without consent for both fields, the UK would need to import equivalent volumes from international sources, which may have higher carbon intensity.
Adura claims the emissions intensity from Jackdaw, Rosebank and new developments could be up to half the UKCS average and about eight-times lower than imported LNG.
Adura CEO Neil McCulloch said: “With timely approval of Jackdaw and Rosebank, Adura can help unlock significant benefits: the energy that Britain needs – at lower associated emissions and within existing carbon budgets – alongside a major economic advantage in the national interest.”
Operationally, the Jackdaw platform is installed in the North Sea and is nearing the final stages before start-up. It is tied back to the Shearwater Hub for onshore gas delivery at St Fergus, Aberdeenshire. The retrofitted Petrojarl Rosebank FPSO vessel arrived at its site west of Shetland last month.
Adura is a 50:50 joint venture between Equinor and Shell. It was launched in late 2025 as an independent producer in the UK North Sea, following the combination of the UK offshore operations of Equinor and Shell.
