Rosebank Holds 500 Million Barrels — and the UK's Next Energy Verdict

Rosebank contains an estimated 300 million to 500 million barrels of oil — enough to sustain production for roughly 25 years — and it is now the biggest energy decision facing UK Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh. The BBC became the first journalists to visit the field, 80 miles north west of Shetland, days before Storm Boelo arrived, just hours after the government consented to gas production at the smaller Jackdaw field in the North Sea.

Rosebank is bigger than Jackdaw, would generate higher greenhouse gas emissions, and could be far more lucrative for its owners, Adura and Ithaca. Adura owns 80% of Rosebank and is a joint venture between Shell and the Norwegian state energy firm Equinor.

What does life on board look like?

The installation is not a fixed platform like Jackdaw's. It's a floating production, storage and offloading vessel — the Petrojarl Rosebank — chartered from Aberdeen-based Altera, crewed by 122 people, and constantly rolling on the North Atlantic swell.

The winter weather is the defining condition. Lead mechanical technician Ewan Leonard said: "Last week we had a 30m heave coming through, so we'll probably suffer more of that as the winter goes on." Altera CEO Chris Brett said the environment west of Shetland is considered "as harsh as you get anywhere in the world."

The conditions come with compensation. Workers rotate two weeks on, three weeks off. The jobs are well-paid, and the facilities are unusually good for offshore work.

"We have single-man cabins, there's good gym facilities, there's a lot of rec rooms here," said Leonard. Production supervisor Douglas Hogge added: "There's the gym, the sauna. You can obviously go and get some fresh air. There's plenty of fresh air out there." There's also a cinema, and chefs serving braised ox cheek, mackerel and pork loin around the clock.

Why did the courts get involved?

Consent for Rosebank was first granted under the Conservative government in 2023. In 2025, after a challenge by Greenpeace and the campaigning group Uplift, the Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled the approvals of Rosebank and Jackdaw unlawful because they ignored the climate impact of burning the fossil fuels in cars, homes and factories.

Judge Lord Ericht allowed the developers to continue work short of producing oil and gas while they supply more detailed environmental assessments for government and regulators. Sources have told BBC News the UK government's decision should come before Christmas.

"We think Rosebank would be a disastrous decision and a terrible deal for ordinary people across this country," said Uplift executive director Tessa Khan. She urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to prioritise renewables, arguing: "If the government's interested in building investor confidence, giving the green light to a major new oil field is going to do the opposite."

What does approval change for the industry?

For workers, approval means job security measured in decades. The field's reserves would "see us out to retirement," said Hogge. "We need to see this approved," he added.

For Adura CEO Neil McCulloch, the stakes are bigger than one field. Rosebank also holds gas that would be piped to Shetland and on to the St Fergus terminal in Aberdeenshire — enough at peak production to heat 500,000 British homes. Approval, he argues, could unlock four more Jackdaw-sized gas developments west of Shetland: Tornado, Tornado East, Tobermory and Suilven. "We would like to proceed with them," he said.

The crude itself would be loaded onto tankers via a gigantic hose and sold on the international market, most likely refined in continental Europe. Opponents say that proves the project offers the UK little benefit; supporters counter that UK and European energy markets are co-dependent, and that Rosebank will generate millions in tax revenue for the Treasury.

Khan counters that approval would exacerbate climate damage for "teachers, nurses, firefighters and families worried about their children" while making "huge profits for companies that are already incredibly profitable."

The long-term backdrop is unforgiving either way. UK oil production peaked a quarter of a century ago, and oil and gas jobs have been disappearing faster than renewable energy roles are being created. The Jackdaw approval has buoyed morale on board, but it has also sharpened the jeopardy. For now, the crew is focusing on the job — and on home comforts. "My wee dog's at the heliport when I arrive," said steward Liam Davidson. "I do miss her."