http://www.falklands-oil.com/

http://www.rockhopperexploration.co.uk

http://www.argosresources.com/




Rockhopper was established in 2004 with a strategy to invest in and undertake an offshore oil exploration programme in the North Falkland Basin. It was floated on AIM in August 2005. Rockhopper was the first company to make a commercial oil discovery in the Falklands. Today Rockhopper is the largest acreage holder in the North Falkland Basin, with interests in the Greater Mediterranean region.

http://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/41020/rockhopper-exploration-shares-set-for-catalysts-despite-falkland-politics-says-socgen-41020.html

Rockhopper Exploration shares set for catalysts despite Falkland politics, says SocGen
11:15 am by Jamie Ashcroft

Rockhopper Exploration (LON:RKH) shares are set for a number of boosts in the coming month, according to French investment bank SocGen.

Analyst David Mirzai says that despite the political ‘noise’ coming from Argentine president Cristina Kirchner’s ‘megaphone’ diplomacy, the Falklands-focused oil firm will have a busy April.

Today, April 2, marks the 30 year anniversary of the invasion of the Falklands by Argentinean forces and Mirzai is expecting more rhetoric from Kirchner.

“We expect several threats to be issued today against companies (exploring for oil in the Falklands) by the Argentinean authorities, including Rockhopper,” he said.

Mirzai adds: “Today we expect megaphone diplomacy by Cristina Kirchner, Argentina’s president, who we think is using the dispute over sovereignty of the Falklands to distract the electorate from austere domestic economic measures (including higher energy prices).

"Once the political ‘crescendo’ has been spent, we expect the next month to provide potential positive catalysts for the stock.”

The analyst believes these catalysts will come in the form of an updated independent reserves report, a potential update on the data room and farm-out process and, thirdly, exploration drilling results from other Falkland oil exploration (being carried out by Borders & Southern).

Mirzai, who rates the stock as a ‘buy’ with a 450p price target, says that Rockhopper’s share price carries a significant discount to the economic value of the Sea Lion discovery.

He says that several parties are interested in partnering Rockhopper in the development project and he believes that the discount could close should two interested bidders emerge.

That said, the analyst does acknowledge that the political ‘noise’ regarding the Falklands has the potential to put off some potential partners.

Indeed, he highlights that Argentina’s foreign minister contends that investors must be warned that ‘companies operating in the Falklands risk civil and criminal penalties in Argentina, which considers the "Islas Malvinas" to be part of its sovereign territory’.

Today on AIM Rockhopper shares eased around 1 per cent lower to trade at 324.75p.

Meanwhile, fellow Falkland explorer, Desire Petroleum (LON:RKH) fell as much as 14 per cent in opening trades after it released its financial results. The stock has since stabilised and is currently changing hands at 29p, down just 1.5 per cent.

Reporting a US$45 million loss, Desire’s figures were largely expected following the group’s recently completed drill programme, which was shared in part with Rockhopper.

Unlike Rockhopper, however, Desire did not discover oil with its own projects. The firm now has enough cash to cover its demobilisation costs but not enough to restart a new programme.

Desire believes there will be further discoveries in the North Falkland basin and that a ‘significant oil and gas province is emerging’.

It is currently reviewing ‘all financing options’ so that it get to work when an opportunity to join a future exploration campaign arises.

Borders and Southern (LON:BOR), which is currently in the middle of a deep water drill programme off the south of the Falklands, also released its financial results today.

The main event for BOR investors however is the results of an exploration well on the Darwin prospect, expected in ‘a few weeks’.

A great short listen.
Doesn't tell us anything we don't know, but nice to see a reiteration on earlier views, from the same expert/investment fund.

http://www.iii.co.uk/tv/episode/falklands-next-moves

My contact in the Argentinian army has just e-mailed me the following info.

A tender has been put out to arms suppliers re musket balls and powder, also saddles and hay for the cavalry.
He has also noticed increased activity at the main shipbuild yards, where several of the new 'E' type rafts are being constructed.
These new 'E' type rafts carry 2 cannon, each capable of firing a 10lb cannon ball over 50 meters (with following wind).
The first raft 'HMS Kirchner' has passed all sea trials (it didn't sink) and is expected within striking distance of the Falklands by Dec 2014.

Kirchner in a speach due to be released later today will warn the UK to expect 'A mother of all battles' AKA Saddam.

So, it looks like all those 'It will be war again' experts were right.

For gods sake, sell before it's too late.



:((

.

Where has the farmin deal gone?

don't know, but in a generally shitty day rkh had bucked the trend quite strongly

cynic someone must know how advanced the farmin negotiations are, or are they waiting for results from the BOR drilling? This could go either way quite dramatically.

http://en.mercopress.com/2012/04/15/cristina-fernandez-abandons-summit-with-no-declaration-on-falklands-malvinas

Sunday, April 15th 2012 - 20:57 UTC

Cristina Fernandez abandons summit with no declaration on Falklands/Malvinas
Argentine President Cristina Fernández left the 6th Summit of the Americas held in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, before the official closing meeting allegedly in protest against a lack of regional support for Argentina’s claims in the Falklands/Malvinas dispute with the UK.

What a great slap in the face for Kirchner, mind you she looks as if she has had a few already.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304432704577347801235907294.html

Argentina to Seek Controlling Stake in YPF

Kirchner has lost the plot in my view,she has shot her self in the foot,Who is going to invest in Argentina now? going to get nasty here

related news nothing much lol...GLA

16 April 2012 Last updated at 17:48

Argentina to expropriate Repsol oil subsidiary YPF

The Argentine government will seize a controlling interest in oil company YPF owned by Spanish firm Repsol.

President Cristina Fernandez said a bill will be presented to the Senate allowing the government to expropriate 51% of YPF shares.

The move, announced on national television, was welcomed by her cabinet and Argentine governors.

Spain and the EU have already expressed concern at such a state takeover of YPF, in which Repsol has a 57.4% stake.

Announcing the move, President Fernandez said energy was a "vital resource". Of the seized shares, the state will hold 51% and the country's oil-producing provinces will get 49%.

Shares in YPF fell some 18% on Wall Street following the announcement.

YPF has come under sustained criticism from the Argentine government, which accuses it of failing to invest enough in local oil fields.

The Argentina authorities have accused YPF of not investing enough to increase its output and so lessen the need for imports, an accusation it rejects.

The company has been stripped of a number of leases, including in some of the biggest oil fields in the country.

In recent weeks, speculation has grown that the Argentine government was planning to force through a bigger state role in the firm.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YPF is not the first big firm to be nationalised by President Cristina Fernandez and it is unlikely to be the last.

Ms Fernandez has continued the economic nationalism of her late husband and predecessor, Nestor Kirchner, bringing such companies as the national airline under renewed state control.

Like Aerolineas Argentinas, YPF was privatised in the 1990s by former President Carlos Menem, a man who transformed the Peronist party into an engine of free-market reform.

But since Argentina's economic collapse of 2001-02, Peronism has gone back to its original corporatist vision, and many sectors of the economy that were liberalised in that era are now back in government hands.
Spain has previously warned Buenos Aires that a takeover of YPF could have consequences for Argentina's international image.

And on Monday Spain's ruling People's Party said the government would defend national interests

"The government has to decide on its response, but I don't have the slightest doubt that it will be the most appropriate response to defend national interests and Spanish interests and a sufficient and complete response to defend the interest of Spanish companies in Argentina," said the general secretary of the party, Maria Dolores Cospedal.

The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, has made it clear it backs Spain's position.

In November last year, YPF, which was privatised in 1993, announced a major find of 1bn barrels of shale oil.

Argentina has some of the world's largest reserves of shale oil and gas, hydrocarbons trapped deep underground.

It is ranked number three in the world in terms of recoverable resources, behind China and the US, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

She's a dead duck quacking.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ae91248c-87e0-11e1-b1ea-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=published_links/rss/markets_commodities/feed//product#axzz1sHrs1GUm

"Give 'em enough rope, and they'll hang themselves." well she is doing a great job of doing it,boy things a warming up.well worth a read as some big political statments in the artical such as.

"Spain last week warned Argentina that any meddling with YPF would be considered an attack against Spain, and would cause Buenos Aires to become an international pariah."



In Brussels, EU officials appealed for a negotiated solution. “A forced takeover by the Argentinian government would give a very negative signal to investors, national and international, and could seriously harm the business environment in Argentina,” said John Clancy, EU trade spokesman.

In domestic corporate news, Spanish oil giant Repsol YPF SA said the Argentinian government has initiated a process of parliamentary approval of a law for a change in control in YPF. With this, 51 percent of YPF's Class D shares owned by Repsol will be declared of public interest and subject to expropriation.

Christ !....it's Arnie at the checkin' on mars !....

I like all on here can only guess what is holding things up, but what I am almost 100% sure of is this.
If anything had gone wrong, IE either negotiations had stalled, or the CPR was delayed through lack of info, or the implied figures of oil found have been reduced/not increased, which would all have an effect if released on the sp, would all warrant a RNS.
Therefor as this would have serious repercussions on RKH via the FSA and the LSE, I view the lack of such RNS's a sign that things are progressing as we hope.
I know companies, especially those in the AIM can and often do, sail close to the wind as regards rules, I doubt RKH would do so.
The main reasons being that of all the companies quoted on AIM, Rockhopper must in the public, as well as the political eye, far more than most.
With the world watching (not an overstatement in my view) the Rockhopper team will be making double sure that all I's are dotted and T's are crossed.
Up to now, there have been no releases that we could call misleading (not like some FI explorers), so its down to trust, and that is from someone who has a reputation among his friends, as a very cynical person when it comes to trusting others.
I just hope I don't regret those views/beliefs.

Regards Greek.

Argentine move to seize YPF scuppers Sinopec deal


By Charlie Zhu and Jim Bai

HONG KONG/BEIJING | Wed Apr 18, 2012 1:56am EDT

HONG KONG/BEIJING (Reuters) - Argentina's move to nationalize local oil company YPF, controlled by Spain's Repsol, has scuppered years of planning by China's Sinopec Group to buy the South American company, sources said.

Bankers said China's second-largest oil company had held talks with Repsol to buy its controlling 57-percent stake in YPF. Chinese website Caixin.com cited a source as saying Sinopec had reached a non-binding agreement to take over YPF for more than $15 billion.

But plans by Argentine President Cristina Fernandez to seize control of YPF, which have incensed Spain and sparked international criticism, have killed any hopes that state-owned China Petrochemical Corp (Sinopec) could seal a deal, they said.

"It's too hairy for any Chinese major to put in that much money, unless there is a special relationship with the Argentinian government, which I doubt," said a mergers and acquisitions banker, who has advised Chinese state-run oil companies on overseas acquisitions.

"This is a challenging situation for anybody given the government action. To me it looks like political suicide to now allow a Chinese company to own YPF soon after announcing the nationalization. I don't they can go flipflop like that."

Bankers said Sinopec's interest in YPF went back at least five years.

The Caixin.com report said Sinopec was in talks with Repsol to buy YPF despite the nationalization threat and the Financial Times said Repsol had not informed Argentina of the discussions with the Chinese oil firm.

Sinopec declined to comment. "We don't comment on market rumors," Sinopec Group spokesman Huang Wensheng said late on Tuesday.

YPF has been under intense pressure from Fernandez's center-left government to boost production and its share price has plunged due to months of speculation about a state takeover.

Caixin.com's report said Sinopec believed YPF's oil blocks in Argentina hold large development potential and it was confident it could meet the Argentine government's requirements to accelerate development and production.

Repsol Chairman Antonio Brufau declined to comment on the Sinopec interest in YPF but at a news conference on Tuesday said the company had received lots of international interest in YPF.[ID:nE8E8CP03D]

ARGENTINE RISKS

Banking sources said even if Repsol reached an agreement with a foreign company like Sinopec, the deal would not materialize because the Argentine government would block the transaction.

"Maybe it is an opportunity but it is a political minefield," a banking source familiar with Chinese oil companies' overseas strategy said.

Some Spanish media reports this week that CNOOC Ltd, China's largest offshore producer, was looking at buying YPF were dismissed because the company had struggled to expand in the country.

Sources familiar with CNOOC's acquisition strategy cited a decision in November by the firm's Bridas Energy Holdings unit to terminate a $7 billion deal to buy BP Plc's 60 percent stake in Argentina-based oil-and-gas group Pan American Energy LLC (PAE). Insiders said the deal collapsed because BP and CNOOC could not win Argentine regulatory approval.

hmmmmmmmmmm

So what news is driving this up?
Haven't seen anything but up she goes. pity I didn't buy more last week.
TT

Something surely must have leaked out re BOR, and I don' mean oil.