Scottish Greens Urge Swinney to Block Rosebank as Oil Debate Intensifies

Platform at Centre of Political Storm

When journalists landed by helicopter at Rosebank, the oil field occupied the centre of a fierce political storm. The visit came just hours after the UK government granted consent for gas production from the Jackdaw field in the North Sea. Attention immediately shifted to this wild and windy patch of the North Atlantic, where Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh faces her next major decision. Rosebank stands larger than Jackdaw, generates higher greenhouse gas emissions, and could prove far more lucrative for its owners, Adura and Ithaca.

The journalists became the first media representatives to visit Rosebank, arriving days before Storm Boelo brought strong winds and heavy rain to scrutinize a controversial project at the heart of national debates about climate change, energy policy, and the economy. The visit also offered a rare glimpse into life offshore on one of the world’s most remote industrial installations.

Life on a Floating Oil Platform

Nicola Boyd, who runs the helideck, greeted the arriving journalists as they struggled out of lifejackets and survival suits. Boyd has worked offshore for nearly a decade, including a year on Rosebank, where she spends two weeks at a time followed by three weeks’ leave. “It’s good fun, it’s interesting, every day can change,” Boyd explained, adding that she loves the job.

The position calls for steady legs and a strong stomach. Unlike the fixed Jackdaw platform, this installation sits 80 miles northwest of Shetland as a large ship, a floating production, storage, and offloading vessel (FPSO) named the Petrojarl Rosebank. Aberdeen-based Altera chartered the vessel to the field’s owners, and during the 48-hour visit, it rolled constantly but gently on the North Atlantic swell.

Harsh North Atlantic Conditions

Lead mechanical technician Ewan Leonard, an Orkney islander, described the winter weather as “a bit of a challenge” with characteristic understatement. The previous week brought a 30-meter heave through the area, and he expects more severe conditions as winter progresses. Altera CEO Chris Brett confirmed that the industry considers the environment west of Shetland “as harsh as you get anywhere in the world.”

Whatever one’s view on the industry, the sheer scale of what humans have achieved in such conditions proves impressive, demonstrating deep reserves of skill and engineering capability in one of the planet’s most challenging marine environments.

Green Party Leaders Condemn Drilling Approvals

Leaders of the Scottish Green Party condemned both UK and Scottish government positions on new oil and gas drilling at the party’s conference in Inverness. Co-leader Gillian Mackay criticized Prime Minister Andy Burnham for approving production at the Jackdaw gas field and accused First Minister John Swinney of “years of swithering.”

“I am adding Andy Burnham to my ever-growing eejit list,” Mackay declared during her keynote speech, criticizing the approval of production at Jackdaw while warning of flood risks and urging his government to stop Rosebank production from going ahead.

Mackay directed sharp words at First Minister Swinney, calling on him to “put people and planet before money-hungry corporations” and oppose Rosebank too. She questioned whether the Scottish government was reverting to being the pro-oil party of the past, noting that the first person to welcome Jackdaw was Donald Trump.

Green Party Claims Electoral Success

Co-leader Ross Greer highlighted the party’s recent electoral achievements, claiming Scotland possesses bragging rights to the “most successful Green party in the world.” He used his platform to announce a new tax on flights to fund a “millennial railcard” that would allow people in their 30s and 40s to receive a third off train fares.

“We convinced people that we would save them money, we would make their lives easier and that we would take seriously the biggest crisis of our times – the climate crisis,” Greer explained, noting the party doubled its number of seats in parliament and won its first two constituencies in Glasgow Southside and Edinburgh Central.

Party Highlights Policy Achievements

Mackay emphasized that “voting Green means real change happens,” taking credit for stopping the golf course at Coul Links in Sutherland and mobilizing communities fighting what she called “energy vampires” of big tech seeking to build data centres. She also claimed Green MSPs were preventing “Reform eejits running amok” in the Scottish Parliament.

The party’s success, according to Greer, stemmed from honing in on exactly what voters needed to hear, focusing on practical cost savings and quality-of-life improvements alongside climate action. He acknowledged that an election happening in British Columbia, Canada, could potentially overtake their global Green movement ranking.

Energy Policy at a Crossroads

The Rosebank decision represents a critical juncture in UK energy policy, balancing economic considerations against environmental commitments. The field’s potential to generate substantial revenue for its owners contrasts sharply with its projected greenhouse gas emissions, placing Energy Secretary Fahnbulleh at the centre of intense scrutiny from environmental advocates, industry stakeholders, and political leaders across the spectrum.

The Scottish Green Party’s aggressive stance on North Sea drilling reflects broader tensions within Scottish politics as the nation navigates competing pressures of energy security, economic development, and climate commitments. The party’s electoral gains suggest growing public support for stronger environmental action, even as offshore workers like those at Rosebank continue their demanding work in some of the world’s harshest conditions.