LONDON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- A British company drilling for oil off the coast of the Falkland Islands said it was planning to dig deeper after initial data revealed no hydrocarbons.
Desire Petroleum said it was planning to drill to around 5,500 feet to evaluate deeper prospects. Preliminary data from depths to 4,300 feet indicate that "no hydrocarbons have been found," the company said.
Desire said earlier this month that it was optimistic about oil trapped below the North Falkland Basin seabed.
Desire was one of the first prospectors to enter the region but has trailed other companies actively seeking to strike significant oil reserves.
The oil quest has coincided with an increasingly bitter war of attrition between Argentina and Britain over Argentine claims of sovereignty. Argentina maintains the London-ruled territory is a remnant of British colonialism and should fall under Argentine rule as Las Malvinas islands.
Falklands oil exploration became a contentious issue when Argentina challenged Britain's right to tap oil in the North Falklands basin, disputing the sovereignty of both Britain and the Falkland Islands government.
Argentina invaded Falkland Islands in 1982 but was repulsed with the loss of more than 1,000 lives on both sides.
