Greenland’s authorities have required Texas-based Greenland Energy, a US oil company with links to Donald Trump, to postpone planned exploratory drilling in the remote Jameson Land region. The decision follows concerns that the company’s timetable was too short for environmental and social assessments, and underscores Greenland’s control over resource development despite US political interest in the territory.

The company had planned to begin drilling within weeks after bringing equipment ashore in July without permission, but approvals cannot now be completed before the proposed start date. Drilling could begin no earlier than winter 2027, far later than US envoy Jeff Landry’s May prediction of oil production within about 10 months; Greenland Energy says it may spend $60m (£44m) on the project and estimates potential oil resources at $1tn, while its shares fell by more than a third after the delay.