Aberdeen South MP urges energy secretary to approve Rosebank oilfield

Douglas Lumsden, the newly elected member of parliament for Aberdeen South, has written to energy secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh to press for the approval of the Rosebank oilfield. The MP has called for a definitive decision to be made by December, arguing that the project is vital for the local economy and workforce. He expressed deep concern over reports suggesting the secretary is considering rejecting the development, which was previously ruled unlawful in early 2025 because downstream emissions were not factored into its environmental impact assessment.

In his correspondence, Lumsden stated that there are not enough jobs in the renewable sector to replace those in the oil and gas industry. He warned that denying the project would condemn the prospects of many of his constituents. The MP urged the secretary to approve the project to provide the certainty needed by workers and businesses across the North East. He highlighted that the city of Aberdeen and his constituency depend on continued extraction and exploration, noting that Rosebank is set to support between 1,600 and 2,000 jobs during peak construction and provide up to 525 long-term, UK-based positions.

Lumsden criticised the government’s lack of open acknowledgement of the job creation potential of Rosebank, describing it as cruel and uneconomic. He argued that highly skilled oil and gas workers are taken for granted in their contributions to keeping the lights on. The MP also attacked prime minister Andy Burnham’s approach to growth and taxes, stating that if the prime minister wants to see growth in every postcode, he must approve Rosebank, scrap the Energy Profits Levy, and remove Labour’s ban on all new licences for the people and businesses of Aberdeen South.

This political pressure comes amid recent developments regarding the Jackdaw gas field, held by a joint venture of Shell and Norwegian energy company Equinor. On Wednesday, the think tank Heartlands accused the government of delivering too little, too late, after the Jackdaw project was approved months after the consultation closed. Energy minister Michael Shanks defended the decision in parliament, saying it would strengthen energy security and meet six per cent of UK gas consumption. However, he warned that the project will not stop the UK being a net importer of fossil fuels, adding that energy sovereignty will come from renewables and gas.

Separately, Redwater Insights said the Jackdaw approval highlights an urgent need to fix the North Sea decommissioning regime. Its legal director Sophie Marjanac called for companies to set aside money for decommissioning up-front when assets are economically productive, rather than at late life when revenue is less secure. Environmental group Uplift has also called for Rosebank’s decommissioning costs to be assessed upfront. Data firm Wood Mackenzie reported that replacing Jackdaw’s output with an equivalent volume of US liquefied natural gas would have resulted in a net increase of 3.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in scope one and two emissions.