MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
![DIO Chief Executive Mike Green with Wg Cdr Fleming in the hangar, which is to be redeveloped. [Crown Copyright MOD 2024]](/data/cache/noticias/102838/130x80/mpc.jpg)
YPF and PDVSA will explore Malvinas continental shelf for oil, says Pagina 12
According to reports in the Argentine media, the nationalized Argentine oil company YPF, formerly owned by Spain's Repsol, will be teaming up with Venezuelan oil giant PDVSA to explore the continental shelf around the Falkland/Malvinas Islands for oil. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesI vaguely remember CFK complaining about 'illegal provocation' which compared to this would seem a bit rich.
Dec 26th, 2012 - 09:14 am - Link - Report abuse 0fortunately Argentina couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery, so i don't see this happening any time soon.
Lots of oil companies talk to YPF... bugger all ever seems to come of any of the talks but its always trumped up by the RG propaganda machine to lead the great unwashed to believe that the oil is already in the barrel.
Dec 26th, 2012 - 09:39 am - Link - Report abuse 0As long as Repsol is sitting in the wings I don't see anyone touching YPF with a bargepole.
And keep out of our waters too!
Dec 26th, 2012 - 09:51 am - Link - Report abuse 0I think this could be an opportunity.
Dec 26th, 2012 - 10:39 am - Link - Report abuse 0IF YPF manage to co-ordinate efforts and IF they get within the designated waters of the Falklands, something they seem to think is acceptable, then the gloves could come off legally and severe physical retribution could be achieved on both parties.
No-one of any consequence is going to intervene on behalf of either country: it’s about oil.
I have to state however that I personally do not think anything will come of this, even Venezuela ‘is proceeding with caution’. I bet they are.
Bet you fookin don't soon as a sleek grey deliverer of death cruises over the horizon you won't be drilling for anything
Dec 26th, 2012 - 10:40 am - Link - Report abuse 0@4 'even Venezuela ‘is proceeding with caution’. '
Dec 26th, 2012 - 11:06 am - Link - Report abuse 0and after your chum Chavez has popped his clogs and the 'free' venezuelen oil stops arrive in RGland the lights will be going off all over.
I see they have already gone off in much of BA.
Sorry Simon and and all the other good RGs.... no gain without pain...
I wish you all a very good KFC free Año Nuevo
Just a thought. One of the two pre-eminent Submarine Services in the world is that of the Royal Navy. Wonder what happens when an RN submarine parks close to a rig on the seafloor, SBS underwater demolition teams flit across to the rig's legs and wire them with so much explosive that the rig will actually be “launched” out of the sea?
Dec 26th, 2012 - 12:00 pm - Link - Report abuse 0There is an EEZ around the Falkland Islands that extends for at least 200 nautical miles beyond the Falkland's territorial waters and contiguous zone. A total of 224 miles from the low water mark at every point on the Islands. Stay out! Intrusion is a “casus belli”.
Can someone clarify, do they mean searching for oil in Argentine EEZ (exclusive economic zone) waters or in the Falkland Islands EEZ waters?
Dec 26th, 2012 - 12:18 pm - Link - Report abuse 0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_economic_zone
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_economic_zone
Typical Argentine stunts. Tell the world that while a dispute over soverignty exists no one should be drilling for oil. Yet it would appear to be quite Ok for them to attempt to do so. It is more clear than ever that this issue has never been about the people or the Country of the Falklands but about the wealth that surrounds us. Vast fishing bonanza and now oil. Local people have known this for almost a hundred years long before the 82 invasion and only now the rest of the world is starting to hear us.
Dec 26th, 2012 - 12:21 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I have seen countries go to war of both these comodities and rest assured Argentina will make the mistake of dragging her Latin Americican friends into this area again. She will I believe take a back seat because that is what Argentina is very good at. Working people and Countries up into a frenzy then pleading they had nothing to do with it. Just like the billions of dollars they have defaulted on. Not their fault they say.
I have a message for you Argentina and that is let's start 2013 with a differance . Total peace in the region Let the Falkland Islanders go about their lives and you let your fellow contry men and women go about theirs in a peacful and prosperous way. Have a happy new year everyone.
Do you feel lucky comes to mind? I doubt we will bother with surface ships hanging around for French missiles it will be a Submarine having target practice we all know they are down there on & off :-) Only a fool would take a chance but there is no bigger fool than CFK!
Dec 26th, 2012 - 12:30 pm - Link - Report abuse 0So long as they stay out of British Tertitorial waters that's fine, if they encroach one foot into UK waters then we can annihilate them. Simple.
Dec 26th, 2012 - 12:33 pm - Link - Report abuse 0If they really mean the Falkland EEZ (and hopefully that is not the case) you can see how this turns into a pretext for war quickly: The RN sends a ship to stop the exploration causing a confrontation, a civilian gets killed (false flag or otherwise), and things escalate. The UK is made to look like the bad guy, at least in the eyes of SA.
Dec 26th, 2012 - 12:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 012 inthegutter
Dec 26th, 2012 - 01:58 pm - Link - Report abuse 0While TMBOA, Correa, Morales, can't count Dead Man Not Walking, and the other leftie/commies running the countries of SA the UK WILL always be considered the bad guys.
We are already the bad guys, a few very well targeted tomahawks will let them know we mean business and exactly what that are getting themselves into.
Dec 26th, 2012 - 02:39 pm - Link - Report abuse 0If they could turn all the hot air that comes from rgenweener into a source of power they wouldn't have to drill for oil bunch of whinging twats
Dec 26th, 2012 - 03:23 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Rest assured Argentina will not drill in falklands waters. It will only drill in its own waters, not the exclusion zone. Perhaps Argentina should buy a stake in Rockhopper?
Dec 26th, 2012 - 03:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0They couldn't drill a tooth. I now think that with Britain now starting to respond to the surrender monkeys that they are upping the anti and rgenweener may soon see some fireworks over ba and probably won't like the outcome and you know what I think................. Tough shit you reep what you sow
Dec 26th, 2012 - 04:16 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@15 & @17
Dec 26th, 2012 - 04:23 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Now come on, don't sit on the fence, come out and say just what you want to!
LOLs :o)
It would be extremely foolish for PDVSA to site a exploration rig in the Falkland Islands EEZ as it would be seized by FIG for illegal operation. The Royal Marine Commandos are particularly well trained with this form of operation, having practiced for years on oil rigs in the North Sea.
Dec 26th, 2012 - 06:55 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The United Nations still recognizes the rights of the Falkland Islands and would not condone any intrusion by Argentina or Venezuela in Falkland Islands Territorial Waters.
These exploration rigs have considerable dollar value. Even Chavez is not stupid enough to risk losing a considerable asset by stationing it , but if he is, the FIG will happily confiscate it and then use it to assist the exploration by properly accredited firms operating with a license from the Falkland Islands Government.
@19
Dec 26th, 2012 - 07:58 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Whilst confiscating an exploration rig sounds great, there would be the problem of title.
The rig would not be the property of either Venezuela or the YPF prats, who haven't got a barrel to piss in.
The commandos could of course always shoot a few armed rig guards: just as a sign of faith you understand (the 'faith' being that they REALLY do mean business). That would stop any exploration in its tracks, never to be restarted.
Argentina should start sending a bill to UK for taxes, rent plus compounded interest on the rent of Malvinas Argentina that's all. Argentina should also build a permanent base in Antartica Argentina in response to UK renaming Antartica, we should also charge all English people with a visa regime where every English person pays their share of the bill for Malvinas Argentina. Until UK takes responsibility for the illegal occupation of Malvinas Argentina and solves the illegal alien problem.
Dec 26th, 2012 - 07:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@21 “Malvinas Argentina” :)) LOL
Dec 26th, 2012 - 08:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 0deluded fool
Dec 26th, 2012 - 08:22 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@21 How much paint thinner did you sniff? The Falkland Islands aren't that important to regular Argentinians. Only those lazy bottom feeders pretend they care as long as the checks keep coming in.
Dec 26th, 2012 - 08:23 pm - Link - Report abuse 0It's not an illegal occupation. The junta decided to belligerently attack the islands, while suffering an embarrassing loss, because they sent kids with very little experience because they were cowards. We mourn for those that lost their lives, but really the islands don't matter. Besides, if you lose, you don't have the right to whine about it later. That's just plain pathetic.
@21 “Argentina should also build a permanent base in Antartica”
Dec 26th, 2012 - 08:28 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Do keep up Prat-Hunter - try looking up “Esperanza”, “Marambio”, “Belgrano” and “San Martin” - all Argentinean Antarctic bases.
@25
Dec 26th, 2012 - 09:13 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I'm guessing he means some kind of armed forces base, he is just skipping down the high street of his imagination, window shopping and vocalising his thoughts, its quite sad really.
#24 you are right all regular Argentine agree that fakland holdings is a british monopoly stealing natural resources from islas Malvinas Argentina. Argentina should start sending a monthly bill to UK and bill every english visiting Argentina through a visitors visa scheme. In other words do not allow english pirates lose in Argentina. Use the english as the Canadians used the Chinese to build CN rail in the past. Argentina never lost anything we will always know where islas Malvinas Argentina is and in time we will fumigate it and clear all the pest from it. It is all matter of time. That's why I support a nuclear defence program 100% made in Argentina.
Dec 26th, 2012 - 09:20 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@27
Dec 26th, 2012 - 09:39 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You forgot to mention those pesky brits “rapping” muslim women lol
“It would be extremely foolish for PDVSA to site a exploration rig in the Falkland Islands EEZ ”
Dec 26th, 2012 - 10:29 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Erm....From all the discussions about boarding oil rigs i think a few(most) have misunderstood the story.
These people aren't planning on putting an oil rig in the islands EEZ. That would be stupid. They are planning on putting an oil rig in what they call the “Malvinas basin” IE the area between the islands and Argentina, outside of our EEZ. Totally legal.
And fair plan to them wish them all of the luck in the world might get them to stop moaning so much(although this is highly unlikely)
You can't beat a bit of comedy by our friend Pirate-Hunter!
Dec 26th, 2012 - 10:34 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Still back in the real world it would be a exceedingly bad idea for a oil rig to enter Falkland waters since all international support will be in the favour of the people of the Falkland Islands and the UK's military could respond in any way it deems fit, i.e. capturing the rigs/ships or destroying them if they deemed that maybe the best course of action.
This is the pirate munter that lives in Canada what a halfwit
Dec 26th, 2012 - 10:49 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@ 27 Pirate Hunter - you want to see a 100% Nuclear Argentina? Ay, and when will that happen 25th Century? Where will you get the money from? Where will you get the expertise from? Where will you get the uranium from? You can't even organise a succesful war campaing against the falkland islands how on earth are you going to achieve this? Answers on a postcard please!
Dec 27th, 2012 - 12:46 am - Link - Report abuse 0@31, 32, Slattzzz, Scotsman,
Dec 27th, 2012 - 06:15 am - Link - Report abuse 0“This is the pirate munter that lives in Canada what a halfwit
Slattzzz, ”half-wit“ does not begin to describe him, LOL.
PH is the only one on here stupid enough to open his original account under his own name,” ALEX VARGAS”.
Not even Sussie is that dumb. :-)
If you check out his FB site, he gives the impression he's 12 years old.
Fooled me at first, but his picture and his stories of his family fleeing the junta in the 80's, leads me to believe he's at least in his early 30's.
He states he does not “believe in credit cards” lives off the grid etc.
According to his blog on FB, he says his family knows he is “not big on Christmas”.
His Alma Mater in Toronto is a ghetto high school, known for immigrant poverty, single moms, violence etc. Social housing there is called “ The Jungle”.
A very angry twisted young man in Canada.
Still, better than Salta, where he says he lives.
He probably spent Christmas pulling wings off flies or torturing kittens.
Getti g lots of attention here, he would be unnoticed by the other La Campora loonies.
@29
Dec 27th, 2012 - 09:26 am - Link - Report abuse 0That is exactly as I understand the story. The fold-belt extends underneath the Islands along the North Scotia Ridge in the Malvinas Basin. This is Argentine territory (stolen from the Patagonian Indians during Argentine colonial (genocidal) expansionism).
They can drill it whenever they like.
The reference to the Islands is irrelevant. It's a bit pathetic really.
I don't believe that Mercopress is being misleading with the reference to the Malvinas Continental Shelf.
Dec 27th, 2012 - 10:22 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The story has been fed to them in a manner which suggests that the drilling is to take place 'adjacent' to the Falkland Islands, rather than 'adjacent' to the Patagonian coast. The inference is quite clear.
The Malvinas Basin could equally mean the sea outside the Falklands EEZ as inside it. If they meant the area outside the Falklands EEZ, then they could have worded it to say exploring the area adjacent to Patagonia, but they didn't.
Indeed they specified:
“explore the continental shelf around the Falkland/Malvinas Islands for oil”
and
“We discussed the need for oil and gas exploration in the territory and offshore areas, adjacent to the Malvinas”
If Argentina intends to drill in their own waters, they are entitled to and no one would complain. If on the other hand, the exploration rigs are to be sited within the Falklands EEZ, then this would be a provocation which would have unfortunate consequences for Caracas and Buenos Aires.
Despite what some have said, even if the rig was hired from a third party and not owned by Venezuela or Argentina, it would still be subject to confiscation by FIG for illegal operation in the Falklands EEZ.
Falklands Island government would have final say on the fate of any confiscated property.
@21 ph
Dec 28th, 2012 - 12:51 am - Link - Report abuse 0re: Bill for occupation of the Falkland Islands (there are no Malvinas) - indeed, and I'm sure the UK would pay an awful lot more notice if Argentina were to pay back the £45 million that they still owe the UK for ARA Hercules and ARA Santsima Trinidad.
re: Renaming bits of Antarctica - I'll just say Isla 25 de Mayo (known to pretty much everyone else as King George Island) and leave it as that.
35 nigelpwsmith
Dec 28th, 2012 - 11:10 am - Link - Report abuse 0“Falklands Island government would have final say on the fate of any confiscated property.”
This may be so, but if title to the property of whatever nature is not vested in the protagonists then it would be immensely foolish not to return it to the rightful owners for two reasons:
1) if it is a rig it will belong to a company which may already be in the Falklands (there are STILL no Malvinas you prats) or be important to developing the future;
2) it makes the FIG no better than AG if they knowingly keep it.
>37 ChrisR
Dec 28th, 2012 - 12:28 pm - Link - Report abuse 0We are discussing hypotheticals here.
No rig has been sited as yet and therefore the fate of any illegal operation would be a hurdle that FIG has to jump when they come to it. We maybe getting ahead of ourselves, but the reason we did was the statement within the report.
The Argentine Government is prone to making inflammatory statements designed to provoke an antagonistic reaction. That appears to be the case with the article.
Mercopress wrote the article based on the information they received and the operative words were 'adjacent' to the Islands.
If they intended to drill within their own waters and we accept that the rigs would be closer to the Patagonian coast than the Islands, then the rigs would be adjacent to the coast rather than adjacent to the Islands.
The AR is desperate to exploit the resources around the Falklands, even if they cannot get sovereignty. They maybe stupid enough to think that this would give them the right to explore within the Falklands EEZ and make the British appear to be the aggressor with any response.
It appears that they are being deliberately provocative with the intention of stirring a dispute. By involving Venezuela, they are hoping that this will become a 'South American' issue with all of South America behind Argentina. However, I doubt that this will be the result.
If the rig is owned by a third party, they would want reassurances that the rig was not placed in any conflict or confrontation zone. So there is no way that any of the present participants on the Islands would agree to allow their rig to be used as a pawn in the dispute, especially if this jeopardised their licenses to explore from FIG.
All this talk of exploration maybe just day dreams by Buenos Aires and Caracas. Let's wait until we hear more.
@27
Dec 28th, 2012 - 05:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0.“ Argentina should start sending a monthly bill to UK a”
Why? It is Argentina that owes the UK money.
Great move by Cristina's Argentina, did you guys seriously expect they'd just do nothing and accept the British position in favour of their total humiliation, if we didn't sit down and talk with them??
Dec 31st, 2012 - 02:25 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Actually it is a very bad move. Exploring in someone else's territory would be Cassus Belli. The Falkland Islands Government would be well within their rights to seize the rig, or even destroy it.
Dec 31st, 2012 - 04:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0If there is one thing that is guaranteed to crystalise American support for the Falklands, it would be Chavez stirring up trouble where American companies are legally drilling for oil.
#41 So now you think the Falklands should attack Argentina?! Will Britain then have to back them up?
Dec 31st, 2012 - 06:55 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@40 B_K,
Dec 31st, 2012 - 07:50 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Why should we talk to Argentina?
There is nothing to talk about.
Oh you mean that we should surrender our sovereignty to them, did you?
Thats laughable!
Maybe they want to surrender their sovereignty to us.
That makes more sense.
You know, l don't believe that we'd take it.
Who wants the nightmare of trying to govern Argentina.
There is no need to attack Argentina, they are doing a very good job of destroying themselves. lol
Quite so, Argentina will fall apart without any help from us. If they try to site exploration rigs in the FIG EEZ, then that will hasten Kretina's demise.
Dec 31st, 2012 - 09:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@40
Jan 02nd, 2013 - 05:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“Great move by Cristina's Argentina,”
Not really, there aren't any Argentine rigs out there yet, like CFK's great announcement that oil producers around the Falklands would be taken to court.
CFK said that in March. It is now January.
Nothing has happened.
Exactly, any hot air from Buenos Aires is merely Kretina talking out of her a*se. There's no chance of any third party allowing their rig to be stationed in a potential conflict zone. If Argentina or Venezuela places their rig, then they had better be ready to lose a major capital asset.
Jan 02nd, 2013 - 06:10 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!