Authored by Charles Kennedy via Oilprice.com,
The Hamburg-based International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea on Tuesday began hearings of Argentina's complaint about the UK's oil drilling project north of the Falkland Islands, which Argentinian President Javier Milei claims is unlawful amid a recently revived row with Britain over who controls the Falklands.
The Sea Lion oil field is operated by Navitas Petroleum Development and Production Ltd (NPDP), a UK-based fully owned subsidiary of Israeli Navitas Petroleum, and its British partner Rockhopper Exploration.
The companies earlier this year reached a final investment decision on the Sea Lion Northern Development. This means that all the necessary approvals and funding for full-scale project execution have been secured. First oil is planned for March 2028, Navitas Petroleum says.
However, after months of tensions over the Falklands and the oil drilling project, Argentina in October took the case to the international tribunal.
The court can issue legally binding rulings on maritime disputes.
"We will always respect the rights of the Falkland Islanders
