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Jackdaw gasfield plan would create 27 direct full-time jobs, documents show
The environmental assessment, filed by Adura, a joint venture between Shell and Equinor, says the drilling platform would be unstaffed for most of its operating life.
Activists say a proposed Jackdaw gasfield in the North Sea would generate limited employment, citing an environmental impact assessment filed by its owner, Adura. The document indicates the project would create only 27 direct full-time jobs, according to the Guardian Business.
The assessment, published as part of the permitting process, is tied to lobbying efforts around Andy Burnham, described as the incoming prime minister, and pressure from the fossil fuel industry for approval of Jackdaw and the adjacent Rosebank oilfield west of Shetland. The article notes some media reports suggested Burnham was preparing an announcement on new drilling.
Green campaigners argue the broader economic benefits claimed by supporters are overstated, pointing to the jobs figure and the level of direct UK employment implied by the plans. Angharad Hopkinson of Greenpeace, who helped uncover the jobs number, said the developer’s own documents contradict claims that new oil and gas developments are vital for employment.
The article also includes statements from Uplift’s executive director, Tessa Khan, alleging the case for expanding North Sea drilling is weak given energy costs and corporate profitability. It adds that much of the construction has already taken place in Norway and that the platform for Jackdaw would be unstaffed for most of its operating life, leaving limited scope for UK workers.