The Petrojarl Rosebank stands as a focal point in an escalating political and environmental conflict. Moored in the North Atlantic approximately 80 miles north-west of Shetland, this floating production, storage, and offloading vessel (FPSO) represents a project of significant scale. While the facility currently awaits a final decision from the UK government on whether to proceed with full oil and gas production, the ship remains active and fully staffed. This oil field was at the centre of a political storm – and set to be in the path of a real one, when we landed by helicopter at Rosebank. But already attention was shifting to this wild and windy patch of the North Atlantic â the next big decision for Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh. It would generate higher greenhouse gas emissions, and it could be far more lucrative for its owners, Adura and Ithaca, rosebank is bigger than Jackdaw. This summer, along with a camera crew, I travelled to Jackdaw, 150 miles east of Aberdeen. Now we were the first journalists to visit Rosebank. But we also hoped for a rare glimpse into life offshore. Including a year on Rosebank – where she spends two weeks at a time followed by three weeks’ leave, boyd has worked offshore for nearly a decade. Rotating around a fixed central point called the turret to face into the weather, making life a little easier for those on board, the ship doesn’t move far.
During a recent 48-hour visit to the vessel, the scale of human endeavor in one of the world’s harshest industrial environments was evident. The ship, chartered from the Aberdeen-based company Altera, experiences constant motion due to the North Atlantic swell. Lead mechanical technician Ewan Leonard described the winter conditions as challenging, noting that the vessel recently withstood a 30-meter heave. Altera CEO Chris Brett emphasized that the area west of Shetland presents some of the most difficult environmental conditions found globally. Those conditions may be misleading. Last week we had a 30m heave coming through,” he said, referring to the swell, “so we’ll probably suffer more of that as the winter goes on. The sheer scale of what humans have achieved in such conditions is impressive, whatever your view on that industry.
Despite the isolation and harsh weather, the 122 people on board maintain a complex operation. Nicola Boyd, who manages the helideck, highlighted the dynamic nature of the work, noting that each day brings unique experiences. The facility offers amenities including single-man cabins, a gym, a sauna, and recreational spaces. Production supervisor Douglas Hogge noted that the work is well-compensated and allows for essential professional focus, though the lifestyle requires long periods away from home and missed personal milestones. According to it’s good fun, it’s interesting, every day can change,”, Nicola Boyd, who runs the helideck, and greeted us as we struggled out of our lifejackets and survival suits. Ingenuity and engineering prowess among the 122 people on board are obvious, the deep reserves of skill. The sauna,” he said, adding “you can obviously go and get some fresh air, there’s the gym. The food is fantastic on board, so no complaints.” added Leonard, as you’ve seen yourself. Praising the talented chefs who sent out all sorts of delicious dishes, from braised ox cheek to mackerel to pork loin, day and night, everyone we spoke to agreed with that. The vessel begins to glow in the gloom, as dusk gathers and the nightshift get ready for work with a strange breakfast of fillet steak and chocolate brownie pudding. The decks criss-crossed by a bewilderingly complex array of pipes, valves and bright yellow steelwork, it is a strange sight.
The project, however, remains deeply contested. Consent was initially granted under the Conservative government in 2023, but a 2025 ruling by the Court of Session in Edinburgh—following a legal challenge by Greenpeace and Uplift—invalidated these approvals. Judge Lord Ericht permitted ongoing non-production work while environmental assessments are updated. Sources indicate that a new government decision is expected before Christmas. But in 2025, after a challenge by Greenpeace and Uplift, the Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled the approvals of the UK’s largest known untapped oil field and Jackdaw were unlawful because they had failed to take into a.
Critics of the project, including Tessa Khan of the campaign group Uplift, argue that approving Rosebank would contradict the UK’s renewable energy goals.
Khan described the project as a poor deal for the public, suggesting that it would primarily profit already successful companies while intensifying the impacts of climate change. We came here – days before Storm Boelo arrived with strong winds and heavy rain – to scrutinise a controversial project which is at the heart of a national debate about climate change, energy policy and the economy.
Conversely, supporters emphasize the economic and energy security benefits.
Neil McCulloch, CEO of Adura—a joint venture between Shell and the Norwegian firm Equinor which owns 80% of the project—contends that Rosebank is vital for European energy security.
McCulloch stated that the field contains both oil and gas, with the latter intended to be piped to Shetland and on to St Fergus.
He further suggested that approval could facilitate four additional gas developments in the region.
The long-term outlook for the North Sea industry continues to follow a trend of decline, with production having peaked 25 years ago and a steady loss of sector jobs in recent years. For the workers on the Petrojarl Rosebank, the impending government decision is pivotal. Hogge remarked that for many staff members, approval would provide job security through to retirement. Oil and gas will be pumped up through the turret from wells in the field below, which contains an estimated 300m to 500m barrels, enough for perhaps 25 years, if production is approved.
The operational reality on board involves navigating intricate systems of pipes and valves, with oil eventually destined for international markets via tanker transport. As the debate over the project’s future continues, the staff remain committed to their roles, performing demanding technical tasks while the vessel waits in the North Atlantic for a resolution that will define its future.
