Offshore Energies UK urges faster approval for £10.8 billion ($14.4 billion) Rosebank and Jackdaw energy projects in public consultation response

Offshore Energies UK recently filed formal responses to two live public consultations, pushing regulators to approve the Rosebank oil field and Jackdaw gas field—projects that together represent £10.8 billion ($14.4 billion) in private investment. The trade body speaks for more than 450 organizations across North Sea energy, and it moved ahead of both deadlines: August 10 for Jackdaw and August 17 for Rosebank.

Both projects have been waiting years for a final green light. The industry says the delay is already costing the UK real money.

Trade body submits consultation responses on two major North Sea projects

OEUK made its position clear, filing formal responses to both consultations before their deadlines. Rosebank sits 80 miles west of the Shetland Islands and carries £8.7 billion ($11.6 billion) in private investment—the largest advanced energy project currently waiting on regulatory approval anywhere in the UK. Jackdaw, located 150 miles east of Aberdeen, adds another £2.1 billion ($2.8 billion), with more than three-quarters of that spending flowing into the UK economy.

Both Rosebank and Jackdaw will use state-of-the-art extraction methods projected to cut their carbon emissions to around half the North Sea average.

The consultations close August 10 for Jackdaw and August 17 for Rosebank—both required steps before either project can move into production.

OEUK isn’t a minor lobby group. It represents more than 450 organizations spanning North Sea oil, gas, offshore wind, carbon capture, and hydrogen, which gives its submissions real weight in the regulatory debate.

Two years of regulatory uncertainty follow earlier government approvals

Here’s what makes this situation unusual: both projects already have a history of approval. Jackdaw got full consent under the Conservative government in 2022, and Rosebank followed in 2023. Legal challenges and subsequent regulatory reviews have kept both stuck ever since—a two-year delay with a real price tag. A combined £3 billion ($4 billion) has already been spent on preparations, with no guarantee of a final green light in sight.

OEUK argues the prolonged uncertainty has done broader damage too. The regulatory standstill has suppressed domestic investment and pushed the UK toward greater reliance on imported oil and gas—an outcome it describes as both economically and environmentally counterproductive.

Projected economic and energy security benefits cited in OEUK submission

The economic case OEUK puts forward is substantial. Together, Rosebank and Jackdaw are forecast to generate £28.7 billion ($38.2 billion) in gross value added across their producing lifespans, alongside £9.1 billion ($12.1 billion) in supply-chain activity.

The jobs numbers are notable too. The two projects are expected to support more than 3,500 positions at peak construction and sustain 880 high-quality roles through the production phase—with average salaries in those sustained positions sitting at around £85,850 ($114,180). At least 125 apprenticeships are also projected, feeding into both North Sea operations and the broader energy transition workforce. On the tax side, combined revenues are projected at £1.4 billion ($1.9 billion) before the end of the current Parliament, rising to £3.8 billion ($5.1 billion) by 2034. At peak output, the two fields would supply roughly 10% of UK domestic natural gas production and 10% of UK oil output.

Carbon footprint and extraction methods addressed in trade body arguments

Critics of new North Sea development tend to focus on the carbon argument. OEUK addresses this head-on: if the UK doesn’t produce this oil and gas domestically, it imports more—and an imported supply carries a carbon footprint up to four times higher than domestic production.

Both Rosebank and Jackdaw will use state-of-the-art extraction methods projected to cut their carbon emissions to around half the North Sea average. That’s a meaningful distinction when stacked against the global alternatives. OEUK also cites independent forecasting showing the UK will still consume the equivalent of up to 15 billion barrels of oil and gas in 2050, which means domestic production isn’t a contradiction of climate goals—it’s the lower-carbon way of meeting demand that’ll exist regardless. Rosebank has a projected lifespan of 25 years; Jackdaw’s production horizon is shorter, at 11 years.

Wider regulatory and investment context for the North Sea

The stakes go beyond these two projects. OEUK chief executive David Whitehouse pointed out that UK production currently meets only 39% of domestic gas demand, per the latest figures. The National Energy System Operator forecasts that UK gas demand will stay broadly unchanged over the next decade—meaning the supply gap isn’t closing on its own.

Whitehouse framed approval of Rosebank and Jackdaw as a signal moment for investor confidence. A positive decision, he argued, would show that the revised regulatory regime is actually working — something the industry has been waiting to see.

OEUK’s submission goes further than these two projects, though. The trade body is also calling for accelerated implementation of the permanent Oil and Gas Revenue Levy (OGRL), a windfall tax triggered during periods of high prices. Offshore Energies UK says this mechanism is essential to unlock a wider pipeline of 111 offshore energy projects needed to support domestic production, jobs, tax revenues, and economic growth across the sector.

The process has been stalled for two years

The core facts are straightforward. OEUK has formally urged regulators to approve two North Sea projects worth a combined £10.8 billion ($14.4 billion). Both already received government consent—in 2022 and 2023, respectively—but legal challenges have stalled progress for two years. Together, Rosebank and Jackdaw are projected to deliver £28.7 billion ($38.2 billion) in economic value, support thousands of jobs, and supply 10% of UK oil and gas output at peak production. Public consultations remain open until mid-August 2026, after which regulators will determine next steps.

Kelly Lippke

Kelly is an experienced writer with 15 years of experience exploring the big stories that shape our world, from tech breakthroughs and space exploration to climate, energy, and the fascinating quirks of science. She has a talent for turning complex ideas into sharp, memorable insights that stay with readers long after they’ve finished reading.