An updated emissions statement from Shell regarding the Jackdaw gas field claims its greenhouse gas emissions would be significantly lower than both other UK production and imported liquefied natural gas. The statement was submitted as part of a new bid for development consent after the original approval was quashed by a Scottish court for failing to include an assessment of Scope 3 emissions.

Emissions Performance and Project Details

Shell's report states that the emissions intensity of the Jackdaw field is estimated at 8.5 kilograms of CO2e per barrel of oil equivalent. This is less than half the average UK offshore emissions intensity of 18 kg CO2e per boe. Furthermore, the emissions from UK-produced gas at Jackdaw would be less than one-tenth of the average emissions from imported LNG. Total Scope 3 emissions over the field's life are estimated at 35.8 million tonnes of CO2e under a maximum production scenario and 23.6 million tonnes under a "likely production" scenario.

Strategic Importance and Production

Shell positions Jackdaw as critical to sustaining UK strategic energy infrastructure. Production from the field is stated to help keep open the Shearwater hub, the St Fergus terminal, and the SEGAL system, which collectively process around one-third of UK gas demand. The project, located 250 kilometres east of Aberdeen, has seen over £1 billion invested and is approximately 90% complete. Shell aims to launch production in the third or fourth quarter of 2026, targeting a peak output of 40,000 boe per day, equivalent to about 6.5% of UK Continental Shelf production.

Regulatory Context and Industry Support

The approval for the Jackdaw field now rests with the UK Energy Secretary, with the industry closely monitoring the government's decision for signals on its North Sea development policy. The UK's carbon budget, which sets emissions limits to meet a 2050 net zero target, assumes continued demand for gas, whether imported or domestically produced. The industry lobby group Offshore Energies UK welcomed the emissions statement, calling it an "important milestone" and emphasizing that with the right policies, the North Sea's energy mix can remain a strategic national asset for decades to come.

Opposition and Environmental Concerns

Greenpeace, which brought the legal case that overturned the original development consent, argues that the revealed scale of pollution makes Jackdaw a "dud project for the UK." The organization contends that new fields should not be allowed if the UK is to meet its emissions targets, stating that the project will fuel extreme weather and represents a loss for the public and a profit for Shell. Shell's report counters that the field's emissions would represent a very small proportion of the UK's and the world's projected emissions in 2030 and 2035 and would not have a significant effect on global efforts to meet the Paris Agreement targets.