UK prepares to approve oilfield despite Cop26 climate conference

The new oilfield would operate in the North Sea until 2050, by which time Britain has vowed to be net carbon neutral
The new oilfield would operate in the North Sea until 2050, by which time Britain has vowed to be net carbon neutral
CARINA JOHANSEN/NTB SCANPIX/VIA REUTERS

Ministers are set to approve a new North Sea oil and gas project months before Britain hosts a global climate change conference in Glasgow.

Under proposals submitted to the government, developers behind the Cambo heavy crude field off the coast of the Shetland Islands expect to extract 150 million barrels of oil — roughly equivalent to operating 16 coal-fired power stations for a year.

Setting up and powering the oil rig will emit more than three million tonnes of carbon over the project’s lifetime.

The oilfield is expected to operate until 2050, by which time Britain has pledged to be net carbon neutral. However, the project will not be covered by the government’s “climate checkpoint”, which will assess whether new oilfield developments are “compatible