While First Minister Humza Yousaf has angered a North Sea giant by opposing plans for the Rosebank field off Shetland as he courts the green vote, oil and gas firms have underlined their interest in another potential mega development.

Any fears that heavyweights are cooling on the area eased when fast-growing Viaro Energy said it was ready to invest more than £100 million in a plan to bring one of the North Sea’s biggest undeveloped finds, Bressay, into production.

Mr Yousaf’s views on Rosebank were in focus last week when it emerged that he had been in a spat with Ithaca Energy after it won approval from the UK Government to develop the 300 million-barrel field with Equinor.

Ithaca wrote to Mr Yousaf expressing disappointment about his decision to take a stance on Rosebank that appeared to conflict with encouraging noises he had made to the company.

The Israeli-owned firm took issue with Mr Yousaf’s claim that approval for Rosebank suggested the Government was supporting unlimited extraction of oil and gas off the UK.

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In the letter, then chief executive Alan Bruce said the Scottish Government could have wide-reaching influence on sector developments although the UK administration has the say on whether fields go ahead.

As Ithaca is also trying to recruit partners to help it develop the giant Cambo oil field West of Shetland, the last thing it wants is for ministers to spook potential investors.

Mr Yousaf is probably happy to appear to be squaring up to Big Oil as the SNP aims to sound the right notes on environmental matters ahead of the general election that is expected to be held in the second half of the year.

His predecessor Nicola Sturgeon came out against Cambo after being accused by environmentalists of sitting on the fence.

Campaigning alongside then first minister Alex Salmond, Ms Sturgeon based the case for independence in the 2014 referendum on the claim........

© Herald Scotland