Shell PLC received approval from the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) and the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment & Decommissioning (OPRED) to develop Jackdaw gas and condensate field in the UK North Sea. First production is expected in second-half 2025.
OPRED rejected plans in 2021 for development of the field—which contains an ultra-high pressure, high temperature reservoir—due to environmental concerns. An updated proposal, submitted in March, amended plans for gas processing at Shearwater hub. Instead of removing CO2 from the gas offshore, Shell will export some of it to the onshore St Fergus terminal for further treatment (OGJ Online, Mar. 18, 2022).
Estimated reserves at Jackdaw are 120-250 MMboe. At its peak, the field is expected to deliver 6.5% of UKCS gas production and produce energy equivalent to heating over 1.4 million UK homes.
BG International, an affiliate of Shell UK, is operator at Jackdaw (76%) with partner ONE-Dyas E&P holding the remaining 26%.