Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael has publicly backed plans for development of Rosebank - the largest untapped oil and gas field in UK waters.
Operator Equinor acknowledges there is public debate about the major find located off Shetland and it respects the differing views.
But it adds: “Nevertheless, we believe there are sound and rational reasons for developing Rosebank.
“This project is part of our contribution to energy security and creating jobs for Britain. In the longer term, our ambition is to reduce CO2 emissions from production through electrification measures.
Mr Carmichael told the Holyrood Sources islands tour podcast in Shetland this week that Rosebank, like every new development, will have to have carbon-emission tests.
He went on say that , if these tests can be met, the project should go ahead.
“The developer has done a lot of work to decarbonise the production plans there,” he added.
The Liberal Democrat MP says it is his personal opinion that the route to net zero has to go through hydrocarbons first.
“You actually make it more difficult to get the just transition and net zero if you just push the (oil and gas) communities and the infrastructure that we now have off a cliff edge.”
Mr Carmichael pointed out that the oil and gas industry now has a different attitude than in the past.
He added: “The days of maximum exploration and ‘drill baby drill’ culture have well and truly gone.”
The MP also said more imports into the UK of foreign hydrocarbons, which have higher carbon emissions when produced, were “mad”.
A survey a year ago found that most Scots in every age group were backing the UK Government's decision to develop Rosebank.
The find has the potential to produce 69,000 barrels of oil a day.
It will play a vital role in protecting the Scotland and the UK's energy security and will enable Britain to support Europe's energy security.
A legal challenge over the decision to give consent to Rosebank and Jackdaw, a Shell find east of Aberdeen, was given the go-ahead by the Court of Session in September.
Greenpeace and Uplift jointly brought judicial reviews to stop the development of the fields.
The environment groups say that when consent was granted for the discoveries, the impact of emissions caused by burning extracted oil and gas was “unlawfully ignored” by regulators.
If the challenge is successful, operators would have to resubmit environmental assessments for approval before drilling can begin.
The cases will heard by the Court of Session in Edinburgh on November 12.
The UK Government said in August that it would not fight any cases over Rosebank and Jackdaw.
This came after the Supreme Court ruled in June that regulators, such as the North Sea Transition Authority, must consider the total environmental impact of new projects - including the way fossil fuels are used by end consumers.