Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh has said a decision on whether to allow the development of the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea will come shortly.
She said: “We have got all the information on Jackdaw and the department has gone through that so there is a decision that will be imminent.”
At an industry event, Ms Fahnbulleh did however say that a decision on the Rosebank oil and gas field will take a little longer.
The final decisions have been a waited on for weeks now and have taken affect on industries outside of energy.
James McCormack, an Oil and Gas Research Director at investment bank Cavendish, explained how important clarity on the development is.
He said: “Large offshore developments require long-term investment decisions, so clarity and consistency in the regulatory framework are almost as important as commodity prices and the underlying quality of the resource.
“The consequences also extend beyond the operators themselves. A lack of project visibility makes it more difficult for the supply chain to plan investment, retain skilled workers and commit capacity.”
The projects have also become focal points for climate activists across the UK as Greenpeace and Uplift successfully challenged the projects in court over their treatment of downstream emissions, overturning the original approvals and forcing fresh applications in 2025.
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