Six more Rosebanks “lurking in the wings” awaiting development approval
Rosebank is one of seven oilfield developments are “lurking in the wings” around Shetland awaiting final government approvals, according to analysis from environmental campaigners published today (Tuesday).
While companies owning the fields have touted their prospective contributions to the UK’s energy security, marine charity Oceana said they threaten to deal a “hammer blow” to British wildlife and fisheries.
The UK government has previously pledged to end new oil and gas licences. As many as 22 developments with existing licences, however, are progressing through different stages of permitting.
Collectively, the seven fields nearest Shetland — Cambo, Capercaillie, Cheviot, Clair, Galapagos, Glendronach, Tornado and Rosebank — would emit more than 600 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents.
The Shetland Times approached the companies operating each field for comment. Ithaca Energy and BP (which each operate two) did not respond, along with Waldorf Production and Bridge Petroleum. Prax, which purchased the Glendronach field shortly before going into administration, declined to comment.
Of the seven fields, all but two are also within five nautical miles of marine protected areas (MPAs) almost entirely closed to bottom trawl fishing under new restrictions imposed last month.
Developing others, including Rosebank, have already involved constructing pipelines through those same MPAs.
“The scale of destruction caused by these fields would be massive,” said Naomi Tilley, oil and gas campaign lead with Ocean.
“Full-scale production in these fields has not been approved – while some are further on than others they all require an onward chain of permissions for full exploitation – something the government can and should refuse.”
After its initial approval was quashed by a judicial review earlier this year, Rosebank’s majority owners Equinor were called to resubmit their environmental impact assessment documents.
Filed last month, they revealed that using the fuel produced by the development would create 250 millions tonnes of CO₂ equivalent.
At the tie Equinor said: “As long as there is a need for oil and gas, we think it is matters where it and how it is produced.
“It is a vital project for the UK economy and is already bringing benefits in terms of local investment and job creation.”
Two of the fields nearest Shetland, Cambo and Galapagos, are expected to begin production this year pending their final permissions. Others would come online between 2027-30.
In recent months some councillors on the SIC’s harbour board have expressed optimism that more North Sea fossil fuel production might bolster declining throughput at Sullom Voe terminal.
Others suggested that industry moves towards floating production and storage made the council unlikely to see any direct profits from newly permitted fields.