Equinor CEO Warns North Sea Project Rejections Threaten Energy Security

Equinor CEO Anders Opedal warned that rejecting the Rosebank and Jackdaw North Sea projects would undermine energy security and job creation, potentially deterring future investment in the United Kingdom. The projects are managed by Adura, a joint venture between Equinor and Shell, which is positioned to become the largest oil and gas producer in the UK North Sea.

Both projects previously received approval under the Conservative government, but court challenges from Greenpeace and Uplift regarding downstream emissions overturned those decisions. This legal conflict forced the companies to submit fresh applications in 2025.

A decision on the Jackdaw gas field is expected shortly, with production potentially starting this winter. The Rosebank project is slated for first oil in the first half of 2027. Opedal stated that not approving Rosebank would be "contradictory to energy security, to job creation."