Costa Rica vs. Nicaragua: Oil in Disputed Seas

The Costa Rican government will ask the International Court of Justice to determine the border between the two countries in the Caribbean and Pacific.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Both countries have not reached an agreement over the delimitation of their maritime boundaries, and the recent decision by Nicaragua to tender exploration and exploitation of oil in Caribbean waters has alarmed the government of Costa Rica which has denounced Nicaragua for offering such licenses in areas that Costa Ricans consider belongs to them.

An article in Laprensa.com.ni reports that "According to the Costa Rican government, the oil blocks that Nicaragua is offering international companies cover at least 15,000 square kilometers of Costa Rican territory in the Caribbean and 20,000 square kilometers of the Pacific."

In an interview with national TV Channel 7, the Costa Rican Foreign Minister Enrique Castillo noted the legal uncertainty of the concessions in these areas which could be granted by Nicaragua to oil companies.

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Costa Rica reacts to hydrocarbons exploration in Nicaragua

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After the signing of a contract between the government of Nicaragua and a norwegian company to explore for hydrocarbons, Costa Rica has noted that the award was made on disputed maritime areas in the International Court of Justice.

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Nicaragua: Five Petroleum Concessions in Uncontested Areas

September 2013

Four awards have been made so far in the Caribbean and in the Pacific, to Noble Energy, Infinity Energy and Industrias Oklahoma Nicaragua.

According to the Minister of Energy and Mines (MEM), Emilio Rappaccioli, "the company Noble Energy, which between 2013-2015 will invest between $180 million and $670 million is at the moment making progress in drilling the first well, but in Nicaraguan waters" reported Elnuevodiario.com.ni .

Costa Rica: Oil Drilling Ban Suspended

January 2012

The Supreme Court has admitted an appeal against a government decree that prevented oil exploitation concessions for 3 years; Mallon Oil may be able to force the government to sign the contract.

The Sala IV, Costa Rica’s Supreme Court, suspended president Laura Chinchilla’s decree, which prevented the exploitation of hydrocarbons and the granting of permits for three years, until a constitutional complaint made by the Association of Geologists is resolved.

Nicaragua Condemns Colombia Regarding Oil Concessions

July 2010

The Nicaraguan president has accused Colombia of granting oil concessions in “territories that do not belong to it”.

Daniel Ortega, president of Nicaragua, was referring to territories in the Caribbean Sea, the maritime borders of which are currently disputed.

“Colombia persists in granting concessions in a territory that does not belong to it and in doing so it is disrespecting the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague,” stated Ortega in his speech to the presidents of South Ossetia (Eduard Kokoity) and Abkhazia (Serguei Bagapsh) according to Infolatam.com.

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