Jackdaw: Drilling approved at controversial North Sea gas field

The UK government has approved production from the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea, despite sharp disagreement over the project’s environmental and economic implications. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the decision could allow the first gas by the end of this month and would help heat millions of homes while protecting hundreds of jobs. The government also announced a new energy wealth fund, funded initially with £2 billion of tax revenue from oil and gas extraction, to support the “green transition.” Environmental campaigners criticized the move, arguing it would hinder efforts to tackle climate change. Jackdaw is 150 miles (241 km) east of Aberdeen and operated by Adura, a joint venture between Shell and Equinor. Adura says Jackdaw would provide about 6% of UK gas production, enough to power 1.4 million homes. The gas will be processed at the Shearwater platform and piped to the St Fergus terminal in Aberdeenshire.