Argentina: Gov’t launches lawsuit against Malvinas oil drillers

The Secretary of Malvinas Affairs Daniel Filmus has announced Argentina started legal proceedings in one of its own courts against five companies, including three British, who are drilling for oil and gas off the Malvinas Islands.

"All exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons on the Argentine continental shelf without Argentine authorization is illegal," Filmus told reporters during a conference held in London together with Argentina's ambassador to the UK Alicia Castro.

The Secretary of Malvinas Affairs said a judge in Rio Grande would take on the case.
The companies targeted are Premier Oil, Falkland Oil and Gas and Rockhopper, listed in Britain, Italy's Edison and Noble Energy which is listed in the United States.
Filmus said the Argentine court could impose prison terms of as much as 15 years and steep fines against executives of the firms if they were found to have illegally extracted oil and gas.
In response to Filmus' statements, British foreign minister Philip Hammond said Argentina “needs to stop this kind of behavior and start acting like a responsible member of the international community."

• Earlier this month, Premier Oil and Falkland Oil and Gas kickstarted their 2015 drilling campaign by announcing they had found oil and gas at the first well in a nine-month programme. 

Argentina said it would consider legal proceedings against the energy firms and together with Britain then summoned each other's ambassadors for a dressing down.
  [buenosairesherald.com]
17/4/15
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Related:

• UK to reinforce military presence in Malvinas Islands

• La Cancillería respondió que la explotación de crudo en Malvinas viola el derecho internacional 

• Argentina threatens companies over Falklands oil drilling...

• Φώκλαντς: Κόντρα Βρετανίας - Αργεντινής για τους Υδρογονάνθρακες