MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina investigates Dutch company that surveyed in Falklands’ waters

“Frugo Meridian” surveyed Falklands’ waters for BHP Billiton and FOGL

Fugro NV the world’s largest surveyor of sea-beds and deepwater for the mining and oil industries, said it doesn’t believe it broke the law when it carried out work near the Falkland Islands that has become the subject of an Argentine investigation.

The company did survey work with the ‘Fugro Meridian’ vessel for BHP Billiton Ltd and its Falklands’ associate Falkland Oil and Gas Ltd in preparation of drilling tests, Elly van der Helm, a spokeswoman for Leidschendam, Netherlands-based Fugro, said in a phone interview with Bloomberg. “In our view, this was completely legal as the work was done with a company that was granted a license from Argentine authorities”.

Attorney-General Esteban Righi ordered a state prosecutor to investigate “what criminal laws Fugro NV may have broken by exploring, on at least two occasions, the Argentine continental platform,” Righi’s office said in an e-mailed statement October 5, a day after the order. Argentina says companies operating in the Islands’ jurisdiction must request authorization from the government.

Argentina renewed a diplomatic dispute with UK over offshore exploration in the Falklands in February when Desire Petroleum Plc contracted an exploration rig and began searching for crude there. Rockhopper Exploration Plc, BHP and Falklands Oil & Gas Ltd. have also been involved in exploring the area. Argentina claims sovereignty over the Islands and their waters. In April 1982 Argentina invaded the Islands and by the following June a British Task Force expelled the aggressors.

Fugro gathers and sells information about possible petroleum and gas reservoirs under the sea floor in areas like the Gulf of Mexico, the North Sea and Brazil. It also carries out surveying work for mining companies. Fugro did work in the area off the Falkland Islands for BHP and FOGL, Van der Helm said.

BHP last month announced it won’t enter the second exploration phase of its license south of the Falklands and has returned its 51% interest in the block to FOGL. However it remains committed to explore to the north of the Falklands.

Earlier this year with the Ocean Guardian rig, Rockhopper discovered oil and gas and Desire Petroleum gas.

More info:  Fugro Says Falklands BHP Survey Was Legal Amid Probe