Production at Britain’s biggest undeveloped oil and gasfield could be delayed for months after equipment from a rig was accidentally dropped in the North Sea, the Guardian can reveal. The blunder at Rosebank, located about 80 miles north-west of Shetland, comes as Andy Burnham’s new government considers granting a licence for the site despite opposition from climate campaigners and some Labour MPs.
On 18 April, two central pieces of drilling equipment, including a safety valve, were dropped 1,100 metres on to the seabed. No workers were hurt, but the platform, hired by company Adura from Norwegian firm Odfjell Drilling, was taken to a shipyard in Bergen for repairs. It has since returned to Rosebank but is not yet operational.
“Rosebank oilfield delayed for months after drilling equipment accidentally dropped 1,100 metres into the North Sea.”
Odfjell Drilling said in internal documentation that the rig could be out of action for up to four months. The Guardian understands this means some oil wells will be completed significantly behind schedule. Adura now anticipates that oil extraction at Rosebank will begin at some point in 2027, rather than before the end of the year as previously believed. The field is projected to produce 300m barrels over its 25-year lifespan, according to industry estimates.
The delay means Rosebank production will be unlikely to affect the UK’s energy supply over the winter months, even as the government faces pressure from the fossil fuel industry to ramp up domestic output. Some MPs believe enhanced production would help tackle the cost of living by improving energy security amid global instability, while green campaigners argue the economic impact would be minimal.
Separately, Adura told the BBC this week that the Jackdaw site, about 150 miles east of Aberdeen, could produce gas as early as October. Licences for Rosebank and Jackdaw were granted under the Conservatives but operations were paused after a court challenge by environmental groups.
The new energy secretary, Miatta Fahnbulleh, is expected to make a decision on the fields’ future after consultations regarding their emissions conclude in August. For now, the Rosebank setback underscores the fragility of efforts to boost North Sea output at a time of intense debate over energy security and climate goals.