Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno will present the case with support from Sebastián Amerio, head of Argentina’s Treasury Attorney’s office. The charges extend beyond corporate entities to include all directors, managers, board members, administrators, and representatives involved in the projects. Under Argentina’s 2011 hydrocarbon law covering the disputed territory, convictions carry penalties of up to 20 years disqualification from operations and 15 years imprisonment.
Navitas operates and holds 65 percent of the Sea Lion offshore project located 220 kilometers north of the Falklands, with UK-based Rockhopper Exploration owning the remaining 35 percent. The project is in development phase with crude extraction scheduled to begin in March 2028. Argentina previously sanctioned Rockhopper in 2013 with a 20-year operating ban and imposed identical restrictions on Navitas in April 2022. In December 2025, the Milei administration formally rejected the companies’ decision to proceed with 1.808 billion euros in development investment.
President Javier Milei announced Thursday his intention to accelerate and strengthen sanctions against petroleum operators working under Falklands government licenses. The administration will send legislation to Congress extending penalties to contractors and suppliers of sanctioned companies and barring violators from contracting with the Argentine state. Milei also confirmed revival of plans for a naval base in Ushuaia, capital of Tierra del Fuego province, positioned 700 kilometers from the islands.
The government confirmed Tuesday it expanded its investigation target list from 45 to 60 entities with direct or indirect links to Falklands hydrocarbon activities. Milei instructed Economy Minister Luis Caputo to prioritize the Ushuaia base project in the 2027 budget draft due to Congress this month. Officials characterized the measures as integrated policy to strengthen Argentina’s capacity to defend territory, protect natural resources, and safeguard strategic interests in the South Atlantic.
This article was curated and published as part of our South American energy market coverage.
