Rosebank life aboard the North Atlantic field at the centre of a political storm

A remote, shifting workplace

The Petrojarl Rosebank is moored in the North Atlantic while its owners await a government decision on production. The vessel was chartered from Aberdeen-based Altera, and during a 48-hour visit it moved gently with the swell.

The ship turns around a fixed point called a turret so it can face the weather. Lead mechanical technician Ewan Leonard said winter conditions could be challenging, while Altera chief executive Chris Brett described the area west of Shetland as exceptionally harsh.

Life aboard the vessel

There are 122 people on board, with cabins for one person, a gym, recreation rooms and a sauna. Leonard praised the food, and said workers could get fresh air outside.

The vessel brightens as night shift begins, with fillet steak and chocolate brownie pudding served at breakfast. Douglas Hogge said work at Rosebank could keep him and many colleagues employed until retirement.

A contested project

Environmental campaigners have worked for years to stop the project. One argued that approving a major new oil field would undermine investor confidence, while opponents say oil shipped away by tanker would bring little benefit to the UK.

Jobs and energy choices

The dispute is unfolding as the UK weighs climate policy, energy supply and the economy. Oil production peaked a quarter of a century ago, and oil and gas jobs have recently been disappearing faster than renewable-energy jobs are being created.

Rosebank oil would be transferred to tankers through a large hose and nozzle. Neil McCulloch, chief executive of Adura, which owns 80% of the field in a joint venture between Shell and Equinor, is optimistic about the project.