THE Rosebank oil field has been granted development and production consent by the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA).
The field lies north-west of Shetland and contains up to 350 million barrels of oil.
The NSTA said consent had been given by the oil and gas regulator to owners Equinor and Ithaca Energy, following the acceptance of the Environmental Statement.
Environmental protesters have already expressed concerns about the plans and have said the decision to give Rosebank the green light shows Rishi Sunak “puts the profits of oil companies above everyday people”.
READ MORE: Sunak’s delaying of difficult choices only means harder ones later
Greenpeace’s UK climate campaigner Philip Evans said: “We know that relying on fossil fuels is terrible for our energy security, the cost of living, and the climate.
“Our sky-high bills and recent extreme weather have shown us that. The ugly truth is that Sunak is pandering to vested interest, demonstrating the stranglehold the fossil fuel lobby has on government decision making.
“And it’s bill payers and the climate that will suffer because of it. Why else would he make such a reckless decision?”
Tessa Khan, a climate lawyer and executive director of Uplift which helped coordinate the Stop Rosebank campaign added: “Rosebank will do nothing to lower fuel bills or boost UK energy security.
“Most of this oil will be shipped abroad and then sold back to us at whatever price makes the oil and gas industry the most profit.
“People in the UK overwhelmingly support moving to cheaper, renewable energy. This government should be prioritising making sure no pensioner, or family with small children is living in a cold, damp home this winter, not handing billions in tax breaks to obscenely wealthy foreign companies.”
Khan added that Rosebank is a “rip off” and added: “We shouldn’t have to fight this government for cheap, clean energy and a liveable climate, but we will.”
READ MORE: Suella Braverman claims multiculturalism has failed in EXTREME speech
The UK Government meanwhile welcomed the decision and said it has been subject to extensive scrutiny by regulators, including undergoing a detailed environmental impact assessment process.
Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho (below) said in response to the decision: “We are investing in our world-leading renewable energy but, as the independent Climate Change Committee recognise, we will need oil and gas as part of that mix on the path to net zero and so it makes sense to use our own supplies from North Sea fields such as Rosebank.
“The jobs and billions of pounds this is worth to our economy will enable us to have greater energy independence, making us more secure against tyrants like (Vladimir) Putin.
“We will continue to back the UK’s oil and gas industry to underpin our energy security, grow our economy and help us deliver the transition to cheaper, cleaner energy.”
An NSTA spokesperson said: “We have today approved the Rosebank Field Development Plan which allows the owners to proceed with their project.
“The FDP is awarded in accordance with our published guidance and taking net zero considerations into account throughout the project’s lifecycle.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel