Rift Helium PLC
28 July 2026
28 July 2026
Rift Helium plc
("Rift", "Rift Helium" or the "Company")
Company Update
Rift Helium plc (AIM: RIFT), focused on the exploration and development of primary helium in a proven basin in southwest Tanzania, is pleased to provide an update on operational progress and the Company's near-term work programme at the Upepo Project in the Rukwa Basin.
Highlights
· The Environmental Impact Assessment ("EIA") process is now in its final stages, with completion expected during Q3 2026.
· 3D seismic acquisition is planned to commence during Q3 2026, upon receipt of the EIA certificate, followed by processing and interpretation, with an updated independent resource assessment targeted for Q1 2027. The Company is fully funded for its planned work programme including a 3D seismic survey and a two-well exploration drilling campaign, with the first exploration well planned for H1 2027.
· Field, government, community and supplier engagement has advanced the operational preparations required for the planned 3D seismic campaign.
· Current dry-season conditions are favourable for mobilisation and acquisition, while the receding Lake Rukwa margin is increasing the extent of ground available for survey coverage.
· The Company has not identified any material long-lead items expected to delay mobilisation, and prospective suppliers have indicated their readiness to respond once mobilisation can proceed following receipt of the EIA certificate.
Charles FitzRoy, Chief Executive Officer of Rift Helium, commented:
"Since our IPO in April, we have continued to advance the work programme investors funded us to deliver. The EIA is now in its final stages, our field and supplier preparations for 3D seismic have progressed, and current site conditions are favourable for acquisition.
The core investment case for Rift remains unchanged. We hold a substantial licence position in a proven basin with a demonstrated working primary helium system, adjacent to confirmed discoveries and supported by an independent CPR identifying prospective potential of meaningful scale.
Our disciplined approach is to use high-resolution 3D seismic data to define and rank the structural closures most capable of containing helium before committing capital to drilling. This is intended to improve the quality of our drilling decisions and ensure we deploy shareholder capital efficiently.
We remain fully funded for our planned 3D seismic programme and two exploration wells and are preparing to move into seismic acquisition once the EIA certificate has been received. The resulting data will allow us to refine and rank the structural closures across our acreage, support an updated independent resource assessment targeted for Q1 2027 and select the strongest locations for our first exploration well planned for H1 2027. We look forward to updating shareholders as each of these milestones is delivered."
Investment case and strategy
Rift offers investors exposure to a potentially material primary helium opportunity within a proven basin. The Company holds a substantial 283 km² licence position in Tanzania's Rukwa Basin, which hosts a demonstrated working primary helium system and confirmed helium discoveries. Rift's acreage is supported by CPR-defined prospective resources, including a P50 estimate of approximately 19 Bcf of helium and a mean estimate of approximately 41 Bcf.
The Company's strategy is centred on disciplined, probability-led exploration. Rift is applying the geological information and peer learnings generated across the basin and will use high-resolution 3D seismic data to identify, define and rank the structural closures where helium is most likely to accumulate before committing capital to drilling. This approach is intended to reduce subsurface uncertainty, improve the quality of drilling decisions and ensure shareholder capital is deployed efficiently.
Rift is fully funded for its planned 3D seismic programme and a two-well exploration drilling campaign, providing shareholders with a clear sequence of value-driving milestones. Following receipt of the EIA certificate, the Company plans to commence 3D seismic acquisition during Q3 2026, followed by data processing, interpretation and prospect ranking. The results are expected to support an updated independent resource assessment targeted for Q1 2027 and the selection of drilling locations for the two-well campaign, with the first exploration well planned for H1 2027.
Operational progress in Tanzania
During July, Rift's Chief Operating Officer completed a programme of field, regulatory, government, community and supplier engagement in the Rukwa and Mbeya regions and in Dar es Salaam, as part of the Company's preparations for the planned 3D seismic campaign.
National Environmental Management Council ("NEMC") completed its site verification visit to the licence area in July 2026, attended by the Company. The subsequent Technical Advisory committee ("TAC") review was also held in July 2026 and concluded successfully. Rift now awaits the formal TAC comments, which will be incorporated into the final EIA report before its submission to NEMC for certification. The Company continues to expect the EIA process to be completed during Q3 2026.
As part of the visit, the Company directly reviewed conditions across the proposed seismic acquisition area. Current dry-season conditions are favourable for mobilisation and acquisition, while the receding Lake Rukwa margin is increasing the extent of ground available for survey coverage.
The Company also progressed engagement with regional and ward authorities and with prospective suppliers across logistics, civil works, transportation, camp services, medical support, security, community liaison, insurance and other services required for the seismic campaign. The Company has not identified any material long-lead items expected to delay mobilisation. Suppliers have indicated their readiness to respond to a mobilisation notice, with formal contracting and mobilisation to follow receipt of the EIA certificate.
These activities have advanced the operational groundwork required for Rift to move efficiently into 3D seismic acquisition once final environmental approval has been received. The survey will provide the high-resolution subsurface data required to refine structural closures, rank prospects and select drilling locations. The results will also support an updated independent resource assessment targeted for Q1 2027, ahead of the Company's first exploration well planned for H1 2027.
Milestone Timeline
|
Milestone |
Timing / status |
|
NEMC site verification |
Completed July 2026 |
|
TAC review |
Successfully concluded July 2026 |
|
Final EIA process and certification |
Expected during Q3 2026 |
|
3D seismic acquisition |
Planned for Q3 2026, following receipt of the EIA certificate |
|
Data processing, interpretation and prospect ranking |
Following seismic acquisition |
|
Updated independent Resource |
Q1 2027 |
|
Two-well exploration drilling campaign |
First well planned for H1 2027 |
CEO Interview
Additionally, Charles FitzRoy participated in a VOX Markets video interview to discuss Rift's operational progress since IPO and the Company's near-term work programme.
The interview is available to view via the following link:
www.voxmarkets.com/articles/rift-helium-interview-a9c933c
For further information, please visit www.rifthelium.com or contact:
|
Rift Helium plc Charles FitzRoy, CEO & Director |
c/o Celicourt +44 (0) 20 7770 6424 Rifthelium@celicourt.uk |
|
Strand Hanson (Financial & Nominated Adviser) Ritchie Balmer |
+44 (0) 207 409 3494 |
|
SI Capital (Joint Broker) Nick Emerson |
+44 (0) 1483 413 500 |
|
Zeus Capital (Joint Broker) Simon Johnson |
+44 (0) 20 3829 5000 |
|
Greenwood Capital (Equity Capital Markets Adviser) John Prior |
info@greenwoodcp.co.uk |
|
Celicourt Communications (Financial Communications) Mark Antelme |
+44 (0) 20 7770 6424 |
About Rift Helium:
Rift Helium is building the primary helium supply the future demands. Rift's 283 km² of strategically positioned licences are located in Tanzania's Rukwa Basin, next to confirmed helium discoveries. The system is proven and we are targeting where helium accumulates.
Now funded and listed on AIM, Rift is preparing to acquire 3D seismic data this year and then utilise cost-efficient drilling techniques in 2027 to test these structures and target economically recoverable helium reservoirs, with a clear pathway toward commercial production
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