An Argentine federal court has ordered the suspension of work linked to the Sea Lion oil project north of the Falkland Islands, involving Israeli company Navitas Petroleum and British firm Rockhopper Exploration, according to Argentine media.
Federal Judge Mariel Borruto, based in the Rio Grande in Tierra del Fuego province, granted a preliminary injunction ordering the companies to refrain from starting or continuing work needed to develop the offshore oil project.
The order covers drilling, subsea installations and the start of commercial oil production, according to details of the ruling reported.
The Sea Lion project is located 220 kilometres north of the Falkland Islands, an archipelago administered by the UK but claimed by Argentina. Navitas and Rockhopper made a final investment decision on the project in late 2025.
The ruling came after a lawsuit was filed by the Center of Ex-Combatants of the Falkland Islands in La Plata, and an environmental lawyers' association seeking to stop the project on environmental and sovereignty grounds.
Borruto ordered the suspension until an environmental impact assessment is carried out before the relevant Argentine authorities.
Provisional measure
The judge also ordered the companies to provide information on the project's status, schedule, wells, floating production facilities, contractors, financing sources, insurers, and environmental studies.
The court said the measure is provisional and does not constitute a final ruling on the companies' responsibility or on all issues raised in the main case.
Argentina has stepped up legal and diplomatic action against oil companies operating around the Falkland Islands.
President Javier Milei's government has opposed the development, arguing that the islands and surrounding maritime areas are part of Argentine territory.
The UK has administered the islands since 1833 and rejects Argentina's sovereignty claim. London also supports economic activity on the territory.
The Falkland Islands have a population of 3,000 to 3,600 people.
In a 2013 referendum, over 90 percent voted in favour of remaining an overseas UK territory.
