Falklands : ENTHUSIASM FOR FALKLANDS OIL OUTWEIGHS ARGENTINE PROTEST
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 03.02.2010 (Article Archived on 17.03.2010)
On Tuesday Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana protested to the Acting British Ambassador over offshore oil exploration in waters surrounding the Falkland Islands.
ENTHUSIASM FOR FALKLANDS OIL OUTWEIGHS ARGENTINE PROTEST
By J. Brock (FINN)
On Tuesday Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana protested to the Acting British Ambassador over offshore oil exploration in waters surrounding the Falkland Islands. The protest comes after Falklands based oil exploration companies announced up and coming drilling to discover hydrocarbons.
A statement issued by Argentina's Foreign Ministry said in part it "strongly rejects the United Kingdom's intention to authorize energy exploration and production in part of Argentina's continental shelf."
"What they're doing is illegitimate - a violation of our sovereignty – and we will do everything necessary to defend and preserve our rights," Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana told reporters after meeting a senior British Embassy official.
The protest comes despite the British victory in the 1982 conflict with Argentina and staunch support for the Falkland Islanders’ right to self determination.
Desire Petroleum, shortly after the arrival of the semi submersible rig, Ocean Guardian in mid February, will start exploration drilling in its “Liz” prospect in the North Falkland Basin. Rockhopper Exploration, Falklands Oil and Gas and BHP Billiton also have plans to do exploration drilling in Falklands Waters in the near future.
Enthusiasm for successful exploration is ripe due to the excellent seismic survey results obtained by all of the companies involved in Falklands’ hydrocarbons exploration. At the moment the Islands are a hive of hydrocarbons related activity with a stream of supply ships unloading at FIPASS and dedicated rig supply vessels due to arrive at any day.
Typically Argentine officials issue letters of discomfort to exploration companies operating in Falklands’ waters. However, these are countered by letters of comfort issued by the UK Government to those same companies.
In general Islanders are blasé about the threats because they have been issued ad infinitum by the Argentines at every possible occasion imaginable.
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