Drivers travelling along the A69 near Hexham saw banners above both carriageways as climate campaigners and local residents staged a protest against the proposed Rosebank oil field.
The protest took place on October 1 at Bank Foot Road Bridge, near Hexham. One banner was hung above eastbound traffic and another above westbound traffic, with campaigners calling on the Government to reject the development.
Why campaigners oppose Rosebank
Rosebank, west of Shetland, is described by campaigners as the largest undeveloped oil field in the UK. The field contains nearly 500 million barrels of oil and gas, although another campaign figure puts its reserves at between 300 million and 500 million barrels.
Opponents say opening a new field conflicts with the move away from fossil fuels needed to tackle climate change. The Stop Rosebank campaign says emissions linked to the project would exceed the annual emissions of the world’s 73 lowest-emitting countries combined.
Campaigners also challenged claims that Rosebank is needed for Britain’s energy security or would reduce household bills. They said about 90 per cent of the reserves are oil and that much of it is expected to be exported for refining. Because UK oil and gas prices are set on international markets, they argued that production from Rosebank would not directly control household energy costs.
Environmental and jobs concerns
The protesters raised concerns about the project’s infrastructure and the protected Faroe-Shetland Sponge Belt. They said drilling, seismic activity and construction could disturb whales, dolphins, fish and other marine life.
They said the alternative was not simply to close the North Sea industry and abandon its workforce. Instead, they called for a funded transition to renewable energy, including investment in new jobs, retraining and employment protection for offshore workers.
Stop Rosebank campaigners said opposition has attracted more than a million people, alongside scientists, faith leaders, trade unionists, environmental organisations and politicians from several parties. Support was also shown at recent meetings of Hexham Climate Café and Hexham Responds, where residents posed for photographs with a “#StopRosebank” banner.
What the Government and Adura say
A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said the North Sea remains a vital national asset, with oil and gas expected to continue playing an important role in the energy system for decades while the country transitions to clean power.
“Any decision will take into account all relevant evidence, including environmental assessments and public representations received as part of the regulatory process.”
Adura Operations Limited, which would operate Rosebank, described the project as a multibillion-pound investment that would create jobs and contribute to Britain’s energy security. The company said it could deliver £8.5 billion of direct investment, including £6.6 billion likely to be invested in UK-based businesses, and boost the wider UK economy by about £25 billion.
Adura also said Rosebank and the Jackdaw gas field were expected to generate £3.8 billion in tax revenues by 2034. It said Rosebank had undergone environmental and regulatory assessments and a public consultation, and would be among the lowest-emissions developments in the UK Continental Shelf.
The company said the field is located around 130 kilometres north-west of Shetland and would support jobs in communities including Newcastle, Hartlepool and Cramlington. The regulatory process, including consideration of environmental assessments and public representations, remains central to the decision described by the Government spokesperson.