Shell submits fresh climate assessment for Jackdaw gas field after court ruling
Company files new environmental impact information including downstream emissions as UK ministers prepare to re-examine permission for North Sea project
Shell has submitted a fresh environmental impact assessment for the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea after a court ruled that ministers must consider emissions from burning produced gas when deciding whether to approve the project.
The submission follows a legal challenge brought by the environmental group Greenpeace, which successfully argued that downstream, or "scope 3," emissions should be included in the approval process. The courts found the previous consent unlawful, meaning the project cannot move into production until a fresh decision is taken by UK ministers.
The Jackdaw field, located about 150 miles east of Aberdeen, is estimated to be capable of producing about 6% of the United Kingdom's gas needs. Construction of the production platform is already under way, but industry officials and government sources say production cannot begin until regulators and ministers have reviewed the new material.
A Shell spokesman said the company had "submitted our response to the regulator's request for further information on Jackdaw, which includes the assessment of scope three emissions associated with the project," and that the company remained committed to delivering Jackdaw, which it described as a nationally important project. Regulators requested the additional information after the court ruling.
Greenpeace brought the legal challenge on the basis that the previous decision to grant consent failed to account for emissions from the eventual burning of gas produced by Jackdaw. The court's finding has implications for how fossil fuel projects are assessed in the UK, requiring decision-makers to consider downstream emissions as part of environmental impact and consenting processes.
The controversy over Jackdaw comes amid wider debate over new oil and gas developments in the UK and their compatibility with national climate targets. Campaigners have argued that allowing new large-scale fossil fuel projects risks undermining commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while industry advocates and some government officials have emphasised energy security and supply considerations.
Ministers and regulators will now review Shell's updated assessment and the additional information supplied by the company before making a fresh decision on whether to permit production to start. The outcome will be watched closely by industry groups, environmental campaigners and communities that host North Sea infrastructure, and may influence how future projects are appraised and approved under UK planning and environmental law.
Another image of the project platform and infrastructure is available in public reports and prior coverage of the field, and the regulator has indicated the assessment will be examined in detail before any further consents are granted.