Equinor boss warns over North Sea drilling plans

Energy company Equinor could decide against future investment in the UK if the Government does not approve new North Sea oil and gas drilling, its boss has warned.

Anders Opedal says the Norwegian state oil company could look elsewhere if final approval was not granted for the Jackdaw and Rosebank sites.

Labour’s election manifesto pledged a ban on new North Sea oil drilling.

However, last month Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he would be “pragmatic” in relation to North Sea oil and gas amid looming decisions on Jackdaw and Rosebank “as we build a bridge to a clean energy future as we confront the climate crisis”.

In an interview with the BBC, Mr Opedal – whose company is working with SSE Renewables and Vårgrønn to develop the huge North Sea-based Dogger Bank wind farm, and previously opened a Port of Tyne operations and maintenance base to support the venture – said the decision on whether to greenlight the two sites was “a political choice”.

He said: “The question will be: is the UK investable in the future? I hope it will not come to that.

“It’s a political choice. The North Sea oil and gas industry started on the UK side.

“We learned from the UK and it’s actually the same geology on both sides of the border – several fields cross it.

“The licence was awarded in 2001, the discovery was made in 2004 and the final investment decision in 2023.”

Last month, almost 600 climate scientists, health professionals and conservationists called for the Prime Minister to reject applications for new drilling licences.

In a letter to Mr Burnham and Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh, the group of 575 experts called for the Government to respect climate science and avoid the UK breaching its national and international climate commitments.

Recent reports suggest the Government will approve new North Sea drilling, starting with the Jackdaw gas field located 150 miles east of Aberdeen.

Ms Fahnbulleh is also set to decide on Rosebank – the largest untapped oil field in the North Sea, which lies some 80 miles north-west of Shetland – in the coming months.

The decision over whether to approve the projects will be a key environmental test for Mr Burnham, who has been facing pressure from climate activists to “stick to the spirit of Labour’s manifesto commitment” and refuse consent.

A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said: “We do not comment on speculation.

“Any decision will take into account all relevant evidence, including environmental assessments and public representations received during the consultation process.”

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