The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) has given Shell the go-ahead for the development of the Victory gas field in the UK North Sea.
The field is expected to produce up to 25,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (150m standard cubic feet of gas per day), according to the energy giant, with capabilities of heating almost 900,000 homes per year at its peak.
Victory's gas will first be processed at the Shetland Gas Plant before being piped into the UK mainland, entering the national grid at St Fergus.
The field will tie back to existing infrastructure, meaning emissions when its fully operatable will remain lower than many current gas fields in the UK North Sea.
An NSTA spokesperson said: "The Victory project is expected to aid the UK’s energy security by providing domestically produced gas for UK homes and businesses, generate significant investment, create jobs, and make use of existing infrastructure as we transition."
According to the regulator, only 38% of the UK’s 2022 gas consumption was domestically produced – the rest was imported.
"The UK North Sea is a critical national resource, providing a steady supply of the fuels people rely on today and strengthening the country’s energy security and resilience," said Shell UK Upstream Senior Vice President, Simon Roddy.
He added: "Continued investment is required to sustain domestic production, which is declining faster than the UK’s demand for oil and gas."