MercoPress https://en.mercopress.com/ South Atlantic News Agency en Copyright 2026, MercoPress. https://en.mercopress.com/web/img/en/mercopress-logo.gif MercoPress http://en.mercopress.com/ <![CDATA[Rockhopper and Navitas shares fall as operators defend Sea Lion timetable]]> ”The partnership operates pursuant to valid petroleum licences lawfully granted to it by the government of the Falkland Islands, a self-governing UK Overseas Territory Shares in the two companies developing the Sea Lion field off the Falklands fell on Friday after Argentine President Javier Milei announced he would tighten sanctions on firms operating around the archipelago without authorization from Buenos Aires. Both companies responded with a joint statement saying they do not anticipate any impact on the project's development.

]]> Fri, 04 Sep 2026 23:30:00 GMT <![CDATA[Milei announces sanctions against oil firms operating off the Falklands without Argentine approval]]> Milei said he would sign a decree that same night to “speed up the sanctions procedures” against those involved in oil extraction in what he called “Argentine territory under British occupation” Argentine President Javier Milei announced on Thursday, in a televised national address, sanctions against companies taking part in hydrocarbon development off the Falklands without Argentine authorization, along with the construction of a naval base in Tierra del Fuego, at the country's southern tip. The message, recorded at the Casa Rosada alongside his full cabinet, raised tensions with the United Kingdom at a moment when Washington has cast doubt on its traditional neutrality in the dispute.

]]> Fri, 04 Sep 2026 07:21:00 GMT <![CDATA[Investment banks warn the Venezuela deal will not bring down fuel prices]]> UBS argues that Venezuelan output will take years to recover and that the impact on prices will be limited in the short term Leading financial analysis firms have tempered the White House's forecasts on the Venezuelan oil agreement announced by Donald Trump on Friday, which grants a company part-owned by the US government control of seventeen fields holding some 65 billion barrels of reserves for a hundred years.

]]> Thu, 03 Sep 2026 08:41:00 GMT <![CDATA[The Venezuelan oil concession goes to Alejandro Betancourt's firm, under investigation in Europe]]> Betancourt said in a statement that Venezuela is “blessed with an abundance of natural resources, hardworking people and untapped potential,” and thanked Trump and Rodríguez The White House on Monday identified the company that will operate seventeen Venezuelan oil fields for a century in partnership with the US government: North American Blue Energy Partners, owned by Venezuelan businessman Alejandro Betancourt, who is under investigation in Switzerland and Spain over his alleged involvement in a scheme to launder funds from the state oil company PDVSA. There is no conviction against him.

]]> Tue, 01 Sep 2026 09:23:00 GMT <![CDATA[Falklands’ oil industry, Rockhopper plans equity raise for second FPSO]]> The incorporated asset carries an aggregate cost of US$125 million and will target the so-called central development area, CDA, of the Sea Lion field. Rockhopper Exploration is planning an equity capital raising to fund its share of a second FPSO, (OSX-1), for the Sea Lion oil field development in the Falkland Islands, since operator Navitas Petroleum exercised its option to acquire the vessel for some US$ 125 million with the purpose of further adding production to 125.000 barrels of oil per day.

]]> Mon, 31 Aug 2026 08:47:00 GMT <![CDATA[British Embassy in Santiago contributes to advance offshore wind development in Chile]]> The British Embassy in Santiago earlier this month organized an event which brought together government authorities, industry representatives and academia to discuss key findings of the reports and explore next steps for the development of offshore wind development in Chile.

]]> Mon, 31 Aug 2026 08:40:00 GMT <![CDATA[The US will control 55% of output from the new oil company in Venezuela]]> “We have secured majority US control of more than 65 billion barrels of proven oil reserves in Venezuela, at no cost to the American taxpayer,” Trump wrote US President Donald Trump announced on Friday an agreement with Venezuela's interim government granting Washington majority control over more than 65 billion barrels of proven Venezuelan crude reserves, around 21% of the country's total. Acting president Delcy Rodríguez confirmed the deal.

]]> Sat, 29 Aug 2026 04:58:00 GMT <![CDATA[Washington negotiates stakes in Venezuelan oil fields with leases of up to a century]]> The negotiation covers around a dozen fields holding some 90 billion barrels of proven reserves, close to a third of the roughly 300 billion Venezuela has certified, the world's largest The United States government is negotiating with Venezuela's interim administration to acquire stakes in a group of the South American country's oil fields, under arrangements that would include leases of up to a hundred years, the outlets Axios and Bloomberg reported on Thursday citing unnamed senior US officials.

]]> Fri, 28 Aug 2026 14:15:00 GMT <![CDATA[Bolivia deploys troops against blockades over a decree its own government wants repealed]]> At least ten organisations are defying the state of emergency Bolivia's government deployed military and police units on Tuesday in the municipality of Yapacaní, in Santa Cruz department, ahead of announced road blockades called by farming organisations against the decree that raised the price of diesel for large consumers. Hours later, the deputy interior minister acknowledged that the same measure must be annulled.

]]> Wed, 26 Aug 2026 08:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[ECLAC trims its 2026 forecast for Latin America and the Caribbean to 2.2%]]> If the projections hold, the region will complete five consecutive years of growth averaging close to 2.3%. The regional economy expanded 2.4% in 2025 and 2.3% in 2024 The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean on Thursday lowered its regional growth projection for 2026 to 2.2%, one tenth below the estimate issued in December. The United Nations body expects a partial recovery to 2.5% in 2027 and warns that the current pace is insufficient to sustainably raise income per capita.

]]> Fri, 21 Aug 2026 10:47:00 GMT