The Jackdaw project, alongside the Rosebank field, previously stalled after environmental groups successfully challenged the original approvals in court, citing a failure to account for climate impacts. With infrastructure already 99% complete, operators Shell and Equinor suggest gas could begin flowing as early as this winter. The project aims to meet 6.5% of the UK’s peak gas demand, while the Rosebank field holds an estimated 300 to 500 million barrels of oil.

Burnham remains firm on the necessity of fossil fuels during the transition period, arguing that domestic production helps fund the shift toward cleaner alternatives. Yet, the strategy faces skepticism from industry analysts like Wood Mackenzie, who estimate that 90% of commercially viable reserves in the North Sea are already exhausted. Despite expert warnings that the industry’s output potential is limited, the government appears focused on immediate supply stability. Environmental opposition has already reignited, with the radical group Just Stop Oil launching fresh protests this week to signal continued resistance to the exploitation of new North Sea assets.