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The Argentine presidency stated on Monday that Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno will submit a criminal complaint against Navitas Petroleum subsidiaries, partner companies and their directors for alleged violations of national law in the North Falkland Basin. The action targets the Sea Lion offshore oil development, which Navitas operates with a 65 percent stake while London-listed Rockhopper Exploration holds the remaining 35 percent. According to a statement from President Javier Milei’s office, the filing constitutes a concrete action to protect natural resources and safeguard sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands, which Argentina considers an integral part of its territory.
Milei singled out the Sea Lion project last week as he announced measures against companies involved in Falklands hydrocarbon activities, with potential penalties extending to shareholders, directors and suppliers. The government alleges the firms breached Argentine legislation by accepting exploration and exploitation licenses granted by the United Kingdom rather than Buenos Aires. Navitas Petroleum did not immediately respond to requests for comment from international wire services including Reuters.
First oil from the Sea Lion field is projected for 2028, with initial production of 50,000 barrels per day once Phase 1 development comes on stream, according to project filings reviewed by industry analysts. Gideon Tadmor, chairman of the Tel Aviv-listed company and a prominent figure in Israel’s energy sector, holds about 9 percent of its shares, LSEG data shows. The announcement builds on earlier sanctions against both Navitas and Rockhopper by previous Argentine administrations.
Rockhopper was declared to have conducted illegal operations and banned from working in Argentina for 20 years in 2013, while Navitas faced similar prohibitions in 2022, records from the Argentine energy secretariat indicate. A separate legal action filed this month by Malvinas war veterans and environmental lawyers seeks a court injunction to halt the project over concerns about potential ecological damage and unauthorized resource extraction on the Argentine continental shelf. The latest criminal complaint references specific subsidiaries including Navitas Petroleum Development & Production Ltd, Navitas Petroleum Atlantic United, JHI Associates Inc and Eco Atlantic Oil & Gas Ltd.
The sovereignty dispute over the Falkland Islands stretches back to the 19th century, with Britain maintaining control since 1833 and Argentina pursuing its claim through diplomacy and the 1982 conflict that ended in a British victory. Falkland Islanders voted overwhelmingly in a 2013 referendum to remain a British overseas territory, a result the United Kingdom has cited as definitive. The renewed legal pressure coincides with the project’s advancement following approval by Falkland Islands authorities in December 2025.
The presidency statement emphasised that the complaint covers all directors, managers, representatives and others involved in the alleged offences under Law 26.659. It frames the move as part of efforts to defend Argentine rights over the South Atlantic region including the islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. No immediate public response from British officials or the Falkland Islands government was detailed in initial reporting from outlets such as The Guardian and Reuters.
