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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To wonder why the government quango refused to allow a new North Sea gas field to be opened in the midst of an energy crisis??

38 replies

BristolBaker · 10/10/2021 08:39

Do you know that earlier this week Shell’s application to develop a new North Sea gas filed (Jackdaw) was refused by a government quango?
In the current climate, AIBU to think that this is absolutely and utterly bonkers?

I’m well aware we need to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, but unfortunately until we have greater capacity on line from renewables we have to accept that gas/coal/oil need to be an ongoing part of our energy resource.
To do otherwise is just shooting ourselves in the foot.

Source was a DT article but also available from other news outlets.
www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-regulator-rejects-shells-plans-develop-jackdaw-gasfield-sources-2021-10-06/

OP posts:
tilder · 10/10/2021 20:43

Very little of the gas we use comes from Russia.

You say quango. I say government regulator.

About time OPRED delivered. Anyway, why blame them. Maybe the developer failed to make their case? I will hunt it down and have a read.

tilder · 10/10/2021 20:55

www.gov.uk/government/collections/eia-submissions-and-decisions-2021

Jackdaw is marked as under review. Not determined.

Quite an eye opener how little information is required for some major infrastructure applications compared to others.

Bootikin · 10/10/2021 21:14

I work in the industry and let me tell you, there is a huge amount of info reqd for review. Don’t know why a poster thought there was little requirements? (Ignorance most likely.

It’s a complex process, very expensive to prepare an FDP and an operator like shell will have done it carefully.

The lack of transparency by the regulator about the reasons for refusal is a major issue: concrens should have been dealt with long before at the proposal stage if they were not happy with the options. The OGA is involved at concept selection stage and should have made concerns clear then.

The fact that shell has been caught out by this refusal is extremely serious for them - a major failure in comms with govt.

For those bleating about fossil fuels, you have a choice of using North Sea hydrocarbons or importing them. Two choices. Otherwise go live in a yurt and burn cow pats to stay warm. Don’t moan unless you cycle everywhere and NEVER fly anywhere.

Sick of the hypocrisy of those who are happy to use fossil fuels whilst disapproving of them. That includes electric car owners whose power company buys gas to produce electricity BTW.

The North Sea industry is turning itself inside out to move to net zero quickly.

The govt chopping existing fields off at the knees and depriving U.K. of revenue and an energy source is not going to help the transition to net zero.

Enjoy your cow pats though.

OP - I agree with you.

VeniVidiWeeWee · 10/10/2021 22:15

Fracking anyone?

tilder · 10/10/2021 23:20

I work in the industry and let me tell you, there is a huge amount of info reqd for review. Don’t know why a poster thought there was little requirements? (Ignorance most likely.

You seem to be taking it personally. Are you the consents manager Wink? An ES less than 400 pages is brief. Pretty typical in O&G though.

I totally agree it's not great for Shell. Am sure there are some pretty pissed off people. There is a lot of money at stake.

Elieza · 10/10/2021 23:43

There’s no way we can host COP26 and open a new oil field at the same time. How hypocritical is that.

Whether or not we need it now and whether or not there will be an appeal and it’s opened a few weeks after the COP people have left us another matter…

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr · 11/10/2021 00:35

It’s not just fossil fuel OR renewables - we also could do more with nuclear power stations

orinocosfavoritecake · 11/10/2021 09:15

There’s a lot we could do more with. Proper home insulation - not the botched green hones grant - proper investment in renewables. We don’t have to make a massive sacrifice in lifestyle - renewables and energy efficiency have come along so much. We are, however, completely fucked if we can’t be arsed to use them.

Tealightsandd · 11/10/2021 16:08

@Elieza

There’s no way we can host COP26 and open a new oil field at the same time. How hypocritical is that.

Whether or not we need it now and whether or not there will be an appeal and it’s opened a few weeks after the COP people have left us another matter…

The COP26 is most certainly hypocritical.

Loads of polluting flights taking people from all over to have a talk. There's such a thing known as modern technology nowadays.

Why not the ZoomCOP26?

Jaysmith71 · 11/10/2021 16:26

Very little of the gas we use comes from Russia.

Correct. But as the North Sea winds down, we lose our own gas as well as Dutch and Norwegian imports, and so in addition to the LNG ships coming into Milford Haven from the likes of Qatar, we shall need more gas from Europe via the undersea pipelines, and that will have to come from Russia until we can get the new nuclear switched on.

XingMing · 11/10/2021 18:14

COP26 is a ridiculous talking shop that will accomplish nothing. Without China's participation it's going to be a costly jamboree, held in a city with a crumbling infrastructure, that has cut public spending by 11% and has the shortest live expectancy in Scotland. Child proverty rates in the First Minister's own Glasgow constituency are the worst in Scotland. Police Scotland have said they will be tolerant of environmental protests.

If I were a Glaswegian, I'd be up in arms.

tilder · 11/10/2021 18:41

@Jaysmith71

Very little of the gas we use comes from Russia.

Correct. But as the North Sea winds down, we lose our own gas as well as Dutch and Norwegian imports, and so in addition to the LNG ships coming into Milford Haven from the likes of Qatar, we shall need more gas from Europe via the undersea pipelines, and that will have to come from Russia until we can get the new nuclear switched on.

Maybe if LNG importers had invested in proper storage, there would have been some sort of buffer.

We will be switching to hydrogen before long. With electrical interconnectors and energy islands.

Fossil fuels are on the way out. It will take decades to wean ourselves off completely, but the momentum to do so is huge and building. The energy sources, how we get it to point of need, how we store it. It's all changing.

Ekofisk · 11/10/2021 22:31

Maybe if LNG importers had invested in proper storage, there would have been some sort of buffer.

Maybe if the UK Government policy decision not to support Rough and instead rely on just in time LNG deliveries from Qatar then the UK would still have a storage buffer?

It’s not like they weren’t warned 5 years ago.

mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKBN1GV18X

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