Production timelines at the Rosebank oil and gasfield in the North Sea have been pushed back following an incident in which critical drilling equipment was accidentally dropped onto the seabed. The field, located northwest of Shetland, was initially expected to begin generating oil before the end of the year pending ministerial approval, but operator Adura now indicates production will occur at some point in 2027.
The delay stems from an incident on 18 April when two central pieces of drilling equipment, including a safety valve, fell 1,100 metres to the seabed from a rig platform. No workers were injured. The platform, leased from Norwegian company Odfjell Drilling, was transported to a shipyard in Bergen for repairs and has since returned to the site but remains non-operational. Internal documentation suggests the rig could be out of service for up to four months, resulting in some oil wells being completed significantly behind schedule.
The Rosebank site is projected to produce 300 million barrels of oil over a 25-year operational period. The government faces competing pressures regarding whether to approve operations at Rosebank and the nearby Jackdaw gasfield. Proponents argue that expanded domestic oil and gas production would enhance energy security and potentially support economic objectives, while environmental groups and some lawmakers oppose the developments as environmentally damaging with minimal economic benefit.
Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh is expected to decide on the fields’ future following emissions consultations concluding in August. The Jackdaw site, located east of Aberdeen, could potentially produce gas as early as October. The situation reflects broader tensions within the government between climate commitments made during the previous opposition period and pressure from industry and unions to expand North Sea operations, particularly around the Aberdeen region.
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