lo-de-alla.org

[Translation of an article from Clarín of Argentina for May 6. The Malvinas Islands, in the South Atlantic off the Argentine coast, have long been the subject of dispute between Argentina and Great Britain, where they are known as the Falklands. In 1982, the two countries fought a 74-day war over the Malvinas and the nearby South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, resulting in the deaths of 255 British troops and 649 Argentines. The British won a military victory but Argentina still claims sovereignty, as stated formally in its 1994 constitution.]

The British firm Rockhopper announced today that it has discovered petroleum in the northern basin of the Malvinas Islands, where it had begun exploring toward the end of last month in the midst of a dispute between Argentina and Great Britain over sovereignty of the islands and the rights to resources in the archipelago. The Argentine foreign office issued a statement warning London and the privately owned company that it “would take all necessary measures within the framework of international law to prevent these illegal acts.”

The find was made in well 14/10-2 in the Sea Lion zone, which Rockhopper is exploring from the Ocean Guard platform in the northern basin of the islands.

The company has confirmed that it made a “petroleum discovery,” but said it still needs more information to determine whether the well is commercially viable or if it should be “plugged and abandoned.”

The Ocean Guard platform operates in the Malvinas area under contract with the Desire, Rockhopper, Falklands Oil and Gas and BHP oil companies in a multiple exploration campaign that has reignited the dispute between Argentina and Great Britain over sovereignty of the islands.

A month earlier, the Desire company reported that it had found no commercially viable petroleum, but added it would resume exploration in late 2010.

Concerning the Rockhopper Exploration announcement, the Argentine Foreign Office declared that “Argentina rejects in the most forceful manner the intention to take possession illegally of non-renewable natural resources which are the property of the Argentine people.”  And it made known to British authorities “who authorize such exploration as well as to the company involved in these illegal activities that the Argentine government will continue denouncing in all international forums this illegal activity and taking the necessary measures, in accordance with international law, to prevent the continuation of these activities.”

Tags: Argentina, Falkland Islands, Great Britain, Malvinas Islands, petroleum, Rockhopper

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