Rosebank: Life on the oil field at the centre of a political storm
The BBC reports on the controversial Rosebank oil field in the North Atlantic, highlighting the tension between energy production and climate change policy. The article provides a rare look at life on the floating production vessel as the UK government weighs future drilling approvals.
Why it matters
The project is a focal point for national debates regarding the UK's energy security versus its commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
By James Cook Scotland editor , Reporting from Rosebank oil field Published 25 October 2026, 00:15 BST Updated 3 hours ago When we landed by helicopter at Rosebank, this oil field was at the centre of a political storm - and set to be in the path of a real one.
We arrived on Wednesday morning, just a few hours after the UK government had granted consent for the production of gas from the Jackdaw field in the North Sea.
But already attention was shifting to this wild and windy patch of the North Atlantic – the next big decision for Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh.
Rosebank is bigger than Jackdaw, it would generate higher greenhouse gas emissions, and it could be far more lucrative for its owners, Adura and Ithaca.
Image caption, Nicola Boyd loves her job on the Petrojarl Rosebank vessel
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