Overview
- Milei, speaking Thursday at Argentina's Veterans Day ceremony, said the country will take all necessary diplomatic steps in response to Rockhopper and Navitas moving forward on the Sea Lion project.
- Sea Lion is a large offshore oil field about 200 kilometers north of Stanley that industry estimates put at roughly 1.7 billion barrels, with plans reported to target about 500 million barrels and Navitas in charge of drilling.
- Argentina’s Foreign Ministry previously issued a forceful rejection of the firms’ Final Investment Decision, arguing that unilateral resource work in the disputed area violates UN General Assembly resolutions 2065 and 31/49 and breaches Argentine laws 26.659 and 26.915.
- The government warned that any company or person involved in Sea Lion faces administrative, legal, and judicial measures that could include operating limits and disqualifications, noting the firms’ past sanctions for working without Argentine authorization.
- Milei also tied the dispute to defense policy by announcing that 10% of proceeds from privatizations will go to buy weapons and capital goods, as the standoff remains a legal and diplomatic fight rather than on-the-ground drilling.