It is hard to blame Shell for its decision. The field was never going to be more than a tiny slither of its vast portfolio of energy assets.

The energy giant is under constant attack from climate activists, and ESG-driven shareholders for its reliance on fossil fuels. It would understandably prefer to talk about its latest wind and solar projects than another field in the North Sea. The flak is not really worth it.

In reality, the real villain here is Sturgeon, and weak-willed, short-sighted ministers in Whitehall.

Even though it used to be central to its economic plans, the North Sea is now about as popular with the SNP, dependent on Green support in the Scottish Parliament, as the England football team and the flag of St George.

“I don’t think we can go on extracting new oil and gas forever,” argued Sturgeon only two weeks ago. “So I don’t think that Cambo should get the green light.”

Ministers in London have hardly been any more encouraging. While climate change activists threatened to tie up the project in the courts for years, the Government gave it only the most tepid support. If Siccar does press on, it is going to be on its own, and that is a lonely place to find yourself.

This is madness. Of course, everyone agrees that we should switch to green energy as fast as possible. Fossil fuels should be steadily phased out.

And yet, as we have already discovered this winter, that is not going to happen instantaneously, and in the meantime we have to make sure we have a back-up plan in place.

Who knows what may happen over the next few months or years. Climate change, or just some weird weather, may impact wind generation, leaving us short on an increasingly crucial power source.