(Image: Derek McArthur)
The following article appears as part of the Unspun: Scottish Politicsnewsletter.
Jackdaw has been given the green light. But for Andy Burnham, the more difficult decision over the future of the North Sea may still lie ahead.
The UK Government's approval of the controversial gas field represents a significant moment for an industry concerned about investment, jobs and its future.
Yet the decision raises an awkward question: having justified Jackdaw on the grounds of energy security and protecting British workers, how much harder has it become to reject Rosebank?
And it is not only Labour facing difficult questions.
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First Minister John Swinney has written directly to Burnham following the announcement, but his letter notably stops short of explicitly welcoming Jackdaw's approval.
Instead, he focuses on ensuring Scotland benefits from North Sea revenues, calling for the Government's new Energy Wealth Fund to be ring-fenced for the north-east.
Swinney questions why its initial £2 billion allocation represents only around half of last year's North Sea revenues and argues that Scotland should control its own energy decisions.
His intervention raises a familiar question about the SNP's position: it is clear about how oil and gas wealth should be spent, but less explicit about whether further drilling should be authorised.
Conversations I had with senior SNP figures at the party's conference in Aberdeen last week suggest this balancing act is becoming increasingly difficult.
Senior politicians privately acknowledged the need for a more explicitly pro-drilling stance, reflecting concerns about employment, investment and the north-east economy.
But there was concern that any shift may have come too late.
The party's approach has caused friction with SNP members in Aberdeen, with some figures fearing the damage has already been done.
The Scottish Government has softened its approach since Nicola Sturgeon's presumption against new oil and gas, but has yet to publish its final energy strategy.
Meanwhile, SNP MSP for Aberdeen Central Jack Middleton was more forthright, describing Jackdaw's approval as "the right decision" and demanding progress on Rosebank.
Swinney has welcomed the proposed fund and stressed the need for energy security, but has left the merits of the Jackdaw decision itself largely unaddressed.
Environmental campaigners have noticed.
Oxfam Scotland accused Scottish ministers of having "mastered the art of saying everything except what they actually think about more drilling", arguing that the time for ambiguity was over.
The SNP must appeal both to communities anxious about North Sea employment and voters demanding stronger climate action.
But attempting to satisfy both risks convincing neither.
There are important differences between Jackdaw and Rosebank.
Jackdaw will produce gas for the domestic market, while Rosebank, west of Shetland, is primarily an oil development, with much of its output expected to be sold internationally.
And while ministers have championed Jackdaw as a boost to energy security, additional domestic production is unlikely to significantly reduce household bills, with prices largely determined by international markets.
Rosebank's scale and potential carbon emissions make it particularly contentious for environmental campaigners.
But supporters point to familiar arguments about jobs, investment and protecting Scotland's energy supply chains.
Russell Borthwick, chief executive of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, welcomed Jackdaw but insisted Rosebank must be approved "without further delay".
For Burnham, approving Rosebank would intensify environmental criticism. Rejecting it would invite questions about why the economic arguments supporting Jackdaw cannot justify another development.
Jackdaw's approval does not establish a legal precedent determining Rosebank's fate.
But politically, the arguments used to justify the gas field will now be tested against the much larger oil development.
For Aberdeen and the north-east, these decisions concern livelihoods, investment and the transition to cleaner energy.
Swinney's letter makes clear he wants Scotland to benefit financially from continued production, while also highlighting the role of devolved powers and climate assessments.
But Rosebank still presents an unanswered question for both governments.
Labour must decide whether to approve it. The SNP must clarify where it stands. It is time for politicians to get off the fence.