{
  "id": 5964471,
  "title": "Sea Lion Loses the Three Biggest Oil Service Firms at Once",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/06/sea-lion-loses-the-three-biggest-oil-service-firms-at-once",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-06T10:37:43.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Rio Times",
    "slug": "the-rio-times",
    "url": "https://www.riotimesonline.com/falklands-sea-lion-oil-services-argentina-2026/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Three major oil services firms – Schlumberger, Halliburton, and Baker Hughes – have collectively decided not to participate in the Sea Lion project in the Falklands. Argentina, which claims the islands, has welcomed their decision and opened legal proceedings against 45 companies over unauthorized hydrocarbon work. The project sits in waters that Argentina also claims. Decree 868/26, published by Argentina on 4 September 2026, accelerates a 2011 law that allows it to bar unauthorized firms from operating for up to twenty years. This includes shareholders, directors, and suppliers, and bars violators from a tax scheme for big investors. Argentina's government has officially opened proceedings against 45 companies and individuals over the Falklands hydrocarbon work. Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno stated that around 180 companies, including insurers, banks, and oil suppliers, will eventually have to choose whether to work in the Falklands or continue doing business in Argentina. The Sea Lion project, estimated to have reserves of 1.7 billion barrels, is being developed by Israeli company Navitas Petroleum and UK-based Rockhopper Exploration. Drilling is expected to start in early 2027 with the first oil targeted for 2028.",
  "summary": "Halliburton, Baker Hughes and SLB all say they will not work on Sea Lion in the Falklands. Argentina's YPF has publicly thanked them. The post Sea Lion Loses the Three Biggest Oil Service Firms at Once appeared first on The Rio Times .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}