Jackdaw boss warns UK faces winter gas shortage risk if North Sea field is not approved

The owner of the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea has warned that the UK could face winter supply shortages unless the government approves production. Adura chief executive Neil McCulloch said the project is in its final stages and could be ready to supply gas from 1 October if approval is granted. He described the decision as "hyper critical" for energy security.

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McCulloch made the comments at the field, which lies about 150 miles east of Aberdeen. He said the UK has only about eight days of gas storage, leaving limited room to respond to a supply emergency. He added that a shortage could be triggered by a prolonged period of still, cloudy weather that reduces wind and solar generation, or by hostility from "foreign threat actors".

Adura said Jackdaw could meet about six per cent of the UK's gas needs from 1 October. The company said the field has already cost around £1.5bn and that the wells are drilled, connected and undergoing final checks and tests. McCulloch said the site was ready for production if approval is given, and that it would play a "vital part" in winter gas supply.

The warning comes as the industry regulator considers revised applications for Jackdaw and for Adura's Rosebank oil field west of Shetland. Both projects were previously approved, but a court ruled that those approvals were unlawful. That ruling has left the future of the projects dependent on fresh regulatory decisions.

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The debate over Jackdaw sits at the intersection of energy security and climate policy. Supporters of the project argue that domestic production can help protect the UK during periods of tight supply, especially when gas storage is limited and renewable output can vary with weather conditions. Opponents say new North Sea developments are incompatible with efforts to tackle climate change and point to this summer's deadly and record-breaking heatwaves as evidence of the urgency of cutting emissions.

Jackdaw is owned by Adura, a joint venture between Shell and the Norwegian state energy firm Equinor. The project has become a test case for how the UK balances near-term supply concerns with longer-term environmental commitments. It also highlights the continuing role of the North Sea in the country's energy system, even as production from older fields declines.

The company's warning is likely to add pressure to the government and the regulator as they weigh the revised applications. What remains unclear is when a decision will be made and whether approval will come in time for the coming winter. It is also not yet clear how the regulator will assess the competing arguments over supply security, climate impact and the legal issues raised by the earlier approvals.

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