Rift Commences Expanded 3D Seismic Acquisition
Summary by AI BETAClose X
11 November 2026
Rift Helium plc
("Rift", "Rift Helium" or the "Company")
Rift Helium Commences Expanded 3D Seismic Acquisition at Upepo
Rift Helium plc (AIM: RIFT), the primary helium exploration company focused on the Upepo Project in Tanzania's Rukwa Basin, is pleased to announce that 3D seismic data acquisition commenced at Upepo on 10 November 2026, in line with previous guidance. The programme is designed to identify and rank potential helium traps ahead of exploration drilling planned for H1 2027.
Highlights:
3D seismic acquisition underway: Rift commenced acquisition at Upepo on 10 November 2026, marking an important step in its exploration strategy to confirm and rank potential helium traps ahead of drilling in H1 2027.
Expanded survey coverage and capital efficiency: Rift is planning approximately 90 km² of 3D seismic coverage, increasing the area envisaged at IPO by approximately 83% for an 18% increase in the survey budget. The Company has deliberately expanded the programme to gain a more comprehensive understanding of Upepo's subsurface structures, improve target ranking and make better-informed drilling decisions.
Focusing on where helium may accumulate: The Rukwa Basin has a demonstrated working helium system. New imaging will help assess structural closures and faults that may influence whether helium is trapped.
Better drilling decisions before committing capital: The survey will build on the five existing exploration leads, helping Rift rank targets and refine well locations before drilling.
Building on an existing 19 Bcf prospective helium resource: Rift's existing mid-case (P50) prospective helium resource estimate is approximately 19 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of helium. The data are expected to support an updated independent resource assessment targeted for Q1 2027.
Clear path to drilling: The Company remains on schedule for its two-well exploration programme commencing in H1 2027, with no change to the timetable.
Charles FitzRoy, CEO of Rift Helium, commented:
“It is exciting to see our team acquiring 3D seismic data at Upepo. This marks an important step in Rift's exploration strategy, as we gather the information needed to better understand where helium may have accumulated and refine our drilling targets ahead of our planned exploration programme in the first half of next year.
The Rukwa Basin has already demonstrated a working helium system. The critical question for Rift is where helium may have been trapped in commercially meaningful volumes. Our expanded survey is designed to give us a clearer picture of those structures, rank our strongest leads and focus drilling capital where the geological case is most compelling.
We have made a deliberate decision to invest more in seismic because we believe the additional geological understanding will improve the quality of our drilling decisions. That is central to our approach at Rift: investing in the right information before committing capital to exploration wells.
This is our approach to smarter access to primary helium: build on what is already known, use better data and drill the highest-priority targets. With an independent resource update targeted for the first quarter of 2027 and a two-well programme planned for the first half of 2027, we have a clear sequence of milestones ahead. I look forward to sharing our progress.”
Figure 1: Seismic Team laying out nodes in front of thumper
Operational Update
Following receipt of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) certificate and the contractor mobilisation announced in September 2026, Rift commenced 3D seismic data acquisition at Upepo on 10 November 2026. Receiver-node deployment began on 9 November. The field camp is operational, with seismic crews and support services in place, and Rift's Chief Operating Officer on site overseeing operations. In-field crew training is continuing alongside acquisition.
Rift is planning approximately 90 km² of 3D seismic coverage across priority areas at Upepo, materially expanding the survey footprint envisaged at IPO by approximately 83%, for an 18% increase in the survey budget. Existing geological and 2D seismic information has identified five exploration leads, primarily on the eastern licence, PL12093/2022. The new survey will provide a more detailed picture of the size, shape and fault boundaries of subsurface structures, helping Rift assess where helium may be trapped and rank potential drilling locations.
Figure 2: Team Seismic assembled at Camp Ivuna
The decision to expand the survey reflects Rift's commitment to acquiring the geological information needed to make well-informed drilling decisions. The additional coverage will provide a more comprehensive understanding of subsurface structures and surrounding fault systems, with the potential to identify additional traps and improve the ranking of drilling targets.
The Company believes this additional investment is justified by the value of gaining a more complete understanding of Upepo before committing capital to exploration drilling.
3D seismic cannot directly confirm the presence of a commercial helium accumulation; exploration drilling is needed to test the targets. The new data will be integrated with existing geological and geophysical information to refine target selection and support an updated independent resource assessment targeted for Q1 2027. The timetable for subsequent activities remains unchanged, including Rift's planned two-well exploration programme commencing in H1 2027. The 3D seismic programme is progressing as planned, with Rift continuing to advance towards its exploration drilling programme in H1 2027.
For further information, please visit www.rifthelium.com or contact:
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Rift Helium plc
Charles FitzRoy, CEO & Director |
c/o Celicourt +44 (0) 20 7770 6424 Rifthelium@celicourt.uk |
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Strand Hanson (Financial & Nominated Adviser)
Ritchie Balmer |
+44 (0) 207 409 3494
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SI Capital (Joint Broker) Nick Emerson |
+44 (0) 1483 413 500 |
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Zeus Capital (Joint Broker)
Simon Johnson |
+44 (0) 20 3829 5000 |
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Greenwood Capital (Equity Capital Markets Adviser)
John Prior |
info@greenwoodcp.co.uk |
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Celicourt Communications (Financial Communications)
Mark Antelme |
+44 (0) 20 7770 6424 |
About Rift Helium:
Rift Helium is building a new source of primary helium for the industries that depend on it. Helium is essential to high-value applications including semiconductor manufacturing, MRI, aerospace and emerging quantum technologies, yet much of global supply is produced as a by-product of hydrocarbons and is concentrated among a relatively small number of sources.
Rift focuses on dedicated primary helium, developed independently of hydrocarbon production. Its 283 km² Upepo Project lies in Tanzania's Rukwa Basin, adjacent to confirmed helium discoveries. Rift's third-mover strategy builds on existing basin knowledge and uses modern 3D seismic to identify and rank potential traps before drilling. Subject to exploration success, Rift aims to develop a new source of primary helium for international markets, including Asia.
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