(MENAFN- ProactiveInvestors)An Argentinian court order that assets of five international oil companies drilling for oil in the Falkands Islands be seized has caused mild turbulence in their share prices. Tierra del Fuego judge Lilian Herraez ordered the authorities to seize bank accounts boats and other assets worth an estimated US$156mln. Of the five companies named in the case Premier Oil (LON:PMO) Rockhopper Exploration (LON:RKH) and Falkland Oil & Gas (LON:FOGL) are British; Noble Energy is based in Texas in the US and Edison International is French-owned based in Italy. None of the companies are based in Argentina or operate in Argentinian waters. Britain has sovereignty over the Falkland Islands which it has held for 180 years but Argentinian calls the island Malvinas and claims sovereignty for itself. Britain and Argentina went to war over the Falklands in 1982. Argentina occupied the South Atlantic archipelago for four days before British forces regained control. None of the three UK companies named – all of whom have made discoveries in the Falklands since exploration began anew in 2010 - commented when the London Stock Exchange (LSE) opened in London on Monday. A spokeswoman for Premier Oil chief Tony Durrant said: 'We never comment political matters.' A spokesman for Sam Moody Rockhopper Exploration's chief executive: 'We will not be commenting on moves'. FOGL was 1% or 0.25p down at 28p. Premier Oil was 1.50p off at 28p and Rockhopper was 3.23% or 2.75p lower at 69.2p on Monday evening. One broker said: 'The price movements were so minor they barely added to the concerns. This is just more sabre rattling. Remember they do have elections in Argentina in October.' An adviser to Premier Oil said: 'I think this is the fifth time in 15 months they have made threats of one kind or another. It is just all political noise'. Philip Hammond the British foreign secretary responded accused Argentina of bullying. Hammond told Sky News: 'It is an outrageous piece of bullying and threatening against the Falkland islanders' perfect right to develop their own economic resources and Argentina needs to stop this kind of behaviour and start acting like a responsible member of the international community.'
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