Shell intend to fight for its licence to develop the Jackdaw field in the North Sea even though the government has dropped its defence of the project.
Greenpeace has lodged a legal action to halt the development of Jackdaw and another North Sea field, Rosebank, because the original go-ahead did not take Scope 3 or product user emissions into account.
Equinor, Rosebank’s developer, has also vowed to fight a separate action in court, the Telegraph reported.
A Shell spokesman said in a statement: “From the outset, Jackdaw has been developed in line with all relevant consents and permits.
“At the judicial review, Shell will argue that those existing consents to develop Jackdaw should remain in place.
“We accept the UK Supreme Court’s ruling in the Finch [Scope 3 emissions] case, but will argue that Jackdaw is a vital project for UK energy security that is already well underway.
“Stopping the work is a highly complex process, with significant technical and safety issues now that infrastructure is in place and drilling has started in the North Sea.
“Jackdaw will provide fuel for UK customers – enough to heat 1.4m homes – strengthening energy independence for Britain, as other older gas fields reach the end of production.”
Jackdaw will produce about 6% of the UK’s current production.
Equinor and Ithaca Energy, which has a 20% stake in Rosebank, will also argue that the field is vital for UK energy security.
An Equinor spokesman said: “The Rosebank project is progressing according to plan. It is a vital project for the UK in terms of investment, job creation and energy security.”
The Rosebank and Jackdaw actions are expected to be heard together in Scotland in November.
Mel Evans, UK Climate team leader at Greenpeace, said: “This news comes as no surprise, clearly the greed of fossil fuel companies knows no bounds.
"Equinor and Shell know that the consents for these fields are unlawful, but despite this, they say they will continue to develop them during this judicial review, putting people and the planet at risk."