Argentina threatens Rockhopper CEO with criminal prosecution over Falklands oil project
Argentina has warned the chief executive of Rockhopper Exploration that he could face criminal charges and imprisonment under Argentine law for the Sea Lion offshore drilling project near the Falkland Islands.
Argentina sent a formal notice to Sam Moody, chief executive of British firm Rockhopper Exploration, and to the company's chief financial officer, warning that they could be prosecuted, fined and imprisoned under Argentine legislation for their involvement in the Sea Lion offshore oil project north of the Falkland Islands. Moody told the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) that he had received the letter on 1 September 2026 and that the threat posed a personal risk to him while preparing his submission.
"I, in common with others, am taking some personal risk by preparing the statement as I have repeatedly been under threat of criminal prosecution and a custodial sentence in Argentina," Moody wrote.
Argentina is seeking an urgent ITLOS order to suspend drilling, arguing that the United Kingdom’s agreement to the project is illegal because the sovereignty of the islands remains disputed. The Argentine government has also banned Israeli partner Navitas Petroleum from operating in the country for 20 years and urged Standard Chartered Bank to avoid participation in Falklands oil activities.
Navitas CEO Ian Ramsay said the company had withheld the names of its contractors to protect them from Argentine retaliation. Halliburton announced it would not work on the project after discussions with Argentine authorities.
The United Kingdom contended that the tribunal lacks jurisdiction and that the 1976 UN resolution cited by Argentina is not legally binding. Attorney General Ellie Reeves warned that suspending the project would have "devastating consequences" for the islanders.
Jack Ford, chair of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly, told the tribunal that the loss of the Sea Lion project would affect both the economy and the social fabric of the islands. The project is projected to double the islands’ GDP and generate an £8 billion revenue uplift over its lifetime.
Argentina’s president, Javier Milei, reiterated at the UN General Assembly that reclaiming the islands, known in Argentina as the Malvinas, remains a national priority and that Buenos Aires is pursuing the matter through peaceful means. A ruling on Argentina’s suspension request is expected on 28 November.