Ed Miliband dealt huge blow as case for net zero ban on North Sea drilling ripped apart | Politics | News

Emissions from the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea “will not materially impact” global warming, a report by its owner has suggested.

Adura’s updated Environmental Impact Assessment said the project would account for less than 0.02% of annual global greenhouse gases over its life.

Jackdaw was previously approved by the Conservatives, then shelved when a court challenge forced a new environmental assessment.

Campaigners have demanded the Government reject both the Little Crow gas field and the Rosebank oilfield developments.

Shadow Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho said: “The only people this policy works for are lawyers. “We need gas.

“We can get it from Jackdaw and the North Sea, or we can send it from Qatar in diesel tankers with four times more emissions.

“It’s certainly better in terms of carbon emissions where we’re drilling in the North Sea, and it’s better for the British economy.”

In the 159-page presentation about Jackdaw, it was stated that replacing liquefied natural gas imported from the USA with gas from the Jackdaw field would save the equivalent of four million tons of CO2 equivalent.

The previous revised EIA, submitted in November, said the Jackdaw field could produce up to 35.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions or equivalent over its lifetime, which could account for around 90% of Scotland’s total emissions.

The updated assessment, requested by the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning, required Adura to provide additional context on how emissions would impact global targets to limit climate change.

Adura is a joint venture between British energy giant Shell and Norwegian firm Equinor.

The legal case was filed by environmental groups Uplift and Greenpeace.

Tessa Khan, managing director of Uplift, said: “Little Crow will have no impact on our energy bills and will do little to increase our gas supply.

“Even in the most optimistic scenario, it would only meet 2% of the UK’s gas demand over its nine to 12-year lifespan, assuming none of its gas is exported.

“The reality is that after 50 years of drilling the UK has burned most of its residual gas and a relatively small gas field like Little Crow will do next to nothing to reduce our dependence on imports.

“And as long as we remain dependent on gas, we will get poorer, while companies like Shell, which owns Jackdaw, will make money. While high gas prices are driving millions of people into energy debt, Shell is estimated to make around $30 billion this year.”

“The only way to protect ourselves from price shocks is to double down on renewables and improve homes that will get us off gas.”

Labor was elected with a manifesto promising not to approve new oil and gas licences.

However, the Government considers this does not apply to Little Crow due to prior authorization and is leaving the door open for Little Crow to be approved.

It will be up to Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, a supporter of net zero, to decide whether to approve the project.