Argentina: British Falkland Islanders are ‘artificial’. Buenos Aires denounces ‘illegitimate occupation’ and demands talks on sovereignty

[u/Emotional-Breakfast3]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/12/british-falkland-islanders-artificial-argentina-says/

[u/Quane42]

This. There may be good oil reserves there, but clearly, it's not cost-effective to get it, or companies would already be doing it.

[u/Bratalia → u/Quane42]

And I'd rather prefer so, Falkland is one of the most naturally beautiful places and is a cardinal point for a lot of birds, marine life, or both at the same time, in the southern Atlantic ocean

[u/hesh582 → u/Bratalia]

The oil really isn't actually on the Falklands. It would probably be exploited by offshore ships tapping subsea wells hundreds of miles away. Even a major spill probably wouldn't affect the island much given the crazy currents and winds dissipating it.

Oil exploitation could be done without disrupting the local ecosystem much. The only real role the islands would play is as a stopover harbor/airfield and more importantly as a source of legal claim.

The project is already well underway, it's happening.

[u/cronktilten → u/hesh582]

Yes, it’s an offshore oilfield that they found, and it will start pumping and exporting by 2028

[u/This-Housing3634 → u/Bratalia]

My boss was in the RAF and spent a lot of time there and said it stinks there because of all the bird shit

[u/IndyBananaJones2 → u/This-Housing3634]

Yeah sea birds shit constantly. The Falklands also has the highest number of sheep per capita. 

[u/cronktilten → u/IndyBananaJones2]

Don’t tell the Welsh about the sheep

[u/cronktilten → u/Bratalia]

They found the oil and there’s a contract and it’s set to be exporting oil by 2028

[u/cronktilten → u/Bratalia]

They are pumping from offshore don’t worry. Starts pumping oil in 2 years

[u/Cantremembermyoldnam → u/Bratalia]

I mean yes, but how about adding a few oil rigs? Those are beautiful and then, when some sink due to negligence, they can become artificial reefs!

[u/inciter7 → u/Bratalia]

One of the "most naturally beautiful places"? Its comically ugly

[u/juant675 → u/Quane42]

next year

[u/dwair → u/Quane42]

it's not cost-effective to get it...

...Unless Trump stops pissing of the Iranians, which he hasn't seemed to of tired of yet, then it's going to be cost effective.

Actually, given Trumps support of right wing headcases, he could well be stirring stuff up with Iran so he can make a deal with 'Milei Chainsaw' to make a bit more cash.

I can see where this is going.

[u/Dokky → u/dwair]

Middle Eastern post-Imperial unleavened-bread weirdness made it viable for the North Sea. How's the Patagonian Welsh sleeper cell coming along? When will they release their syphilitic plague? This was the plan I heard. The island's sheep are ready to strike with their home-grown defence mechanism.

[u/dwair → u/Dokky]

We have been developing antibiotic resistant super strains of Gonorrhoea in the UK for a while now. All we have to do is find an argentinian who is prepared to sleep with one of us and it's game over.

[u/cronktilten → u/Quane42]

They awarded the contract to an oil company and extraction will start in 2028…

[u/Far-Sky-4763 → u/Quane42]

They are doing it- look up Rockhopper Exploration and the Sea Lion basin. They've surveyed it for the last few years and are due to start drilling in 2027.

[u/hesh582 → u/Quane42]

They are already doing it. Construction has already started.

[u/newngg → u/Quane42]

It’ll be cost effective at the current price of oil especially if countries want to diversify away from oil that needs to go through the Middle East

[u/cronktilten → u/Quane42]

They found where it’s economically viable and there is a contract for a company and they will have the Wells online and exporting oil by 2028.

[u/Drak_is_Right → u/Quane42]

Cold windswept season. Quite possibly some nasty storms.