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Rosebank oil project faces months of delay after rig equipment lost
Operator Adura now expects Rosebank to start producing at some point in 2027, after the April 18 incident reportedly dropped two drilling pieces, including a safety valve, 1,100 meters to the seabed.
Production at the Rosebank oil and gas field is at risk of being delayed for months after equipment was accidentally dropped during drilling operations in the North Sea, the Guardian Business reports. The incident occurred on April 18, and the outlet says no workers were hurt but two key pieces of drilling equipment, including a safety valve, were lost on to the seabed.
Rosebank, described as the UK’s biggest undeveloped oilfield, is located about 80 miles north-west of Shetland. The field was previously believed to be ready to generate oil before the end of the year, pending ministerial approval, but Adura now anticipates production will start at some point in 2027.
The story also highlights the policy backdrop around new drilling. Rosebank and another site, Jackdaw, had licences granted under the Conservatives, but operations were paused after a court challenge by environmental groups, and the new energy secretary is expected to decide on the fields’ future after consultations on emissions conclude in August.
Industry estimates cited by the Guardian Business project Rosebank could produce about 300 million barrels over a 25 year lifespan. The outlet adds that delays at the field make it unlikely to influence UK energy supply over winter months, as the government weighs domestic energy security arguments against opposition from climate campaigners and some Labour MPs.