Argentinian court orders temporary halt to Falklands oil project
A Tierra del Fuego judge has barred Rockhopper Exploration and Navitas Petroleum from drilling and other material work at the Sea Lion field pending an environmental assessment.
An Argentinian judge has ordered Rockhopper Exploration and Navitas Petroleum to temporarily suspend drilling, infrastructure installation and hydrocarbon extraction at the Sea Lion oilfield near the Falkland Islands.
The interim order, issued by a court in Tierra del Fuego, remains in effect pending an environmental impact assessment. The judge also gave the companies 10 days to provide information on the project, including its status, contractors and financiers.
The case was brought by 1982 war veterans and environmental lawyers seeking to block the British-Israeli project. The Sea Lion field is about 220 kilometres from the Falkland Islands, which Argentina calls the Malvinas.
The ruling comes as Argentina intensifies legal action against oil companies operating near the British-administered territory. President Javier Milei’s administration argues the project breaches a United Nations resolution urging both sides to avoid unilateral actions while the sovereignty dispute remains unresolved.
Britain maintains the islands are British and rejects the jurisdiction of Argentinian courts in the Falkland Islands. The court order’s practical effect on the project is unclear.
