By Ajong Mbapndah L
Rift Helium has taken another important step toward unlocking one of Africa’s most promising primary helium opportunities, announcing that its flagship Upepo Project in southwest Tanzania is entering a critical phase as the company prepares for 3D seismic acquisition ahead of an ambitious two-well exploration drilling campaign scheduled for 2027.
The AIM-listed explorer said its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process is now in its final stages and is expected to be completed during the third quarter of 2026, clearing the way for a high-resolution 3D seismic programme that will further define drilling targets across its extensive licence area in the Rukwa Basin.
The update signals continued momentum for Rift Helium following its successful April 2026 initial public offering, with the company emphasizing that it remains fully funded to execute both its seismic programme and subsequent exploration drilling campaign.
Building Momentum in Tanzania’s Emerging Helium Province
Helium has become one of the world’s most sought-after strategic commodities, driven by growing demand from medical imaging, semiconductor manufacturing, aerospace, quantum computing and advanced technologies, while global supply remains constrained.
Against that backdrop, Tanzania’s Rukwa Basin has emerged as one of the world’s most exciting frontier helium provinces following several significant discoveries that have demonstrated the presence of a working primary helium system.
Rift Helium controls approximately 283 square kilometres of highly prospective acreage within the basin, adjacent to confirmed helium discoveries and supported by independent Competent Person’s Report (CPR) estimates indicating significant resource potential.
According to the company, its licence area carries a P50 prospective resource estimate of approximately 19 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of helium and a mean estimate of approximately 41 Bcf, positioning the project among the more significant undeveloped helium opportunities globally.
Environmental Approval Nears Completion
The immediate focus for the company is securing the Environmental Impact Assessment certificate, a key regulatory milestone that will allow seismic crews to mobilize onto the project area.
Operational preparations have already advanced significantly.Rift said extensive engagement with government authorities, local communities, contractors and suppliers has been undertaken to ensure rapid mobilization once environmental approval is received.
Current dry-season conditions are also working in the company’s favour. The seasonal retreat of Lake Rukwa has increased the amount of accessible ground available for survey operations, improving planned seismic coverage across the project area.
Equally significant, the company said it has identified no material long-lead equipment or logistical constraints that could delay commencement of operations, with suppliers indicating they are ready to mobilize immediately after the EIA certificate is granted.
A Disciplined Exploration Strategy
Rather than rushing directly into drilling, Rift Helium is following what it describes as a disciplined exploration model designed to reduce geological uncertainty before committing capital.
High-resolution 3D seismic data will be used to identify, define and rank underground structural closures where helium is most likely to have accumulated.
This information will then support updated resource estimates and determine the optimum drilling locations.
Chief Executive Officer Charles FitzRoy said the company’s strategy remains firmly on track.
“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.”
FitzRoy said the underlying investment proposition remains unchanged.
“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.”
He emphasized that careful technical work before drilling is central to the company’s approach.
“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.”
Clear Milestones Ahead
With financing already secured for the next phase of development, Rift has outlined a clearly sequenced work programme that investors will be watching closely over the coming months.
Following receipt of environmental approval, the company plans to begin 3D seismic acquisition during the third quarter of 2026.
That will be followed by seismic processing, geological interpretation and prospect ranking before an updated independent resource assessment targeted for the first quarter of 2027.
The revised resource estimate will underpin selection of drilling locations for the company’s planned two-well exploration campaign, with the first exploration well expected during the first half of 2027.
FitzRoy expressed confidence that each milestone will progressively de-risk the project.
“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.”
Positioning Tanzania in the Global Helium Market
The progress at Upepo adds to Tanzania’s growing reputation as one of the world’s emerging centres for primary helium exploration.
Unlike helium produced as a by-product of natural gas, primary helium systems are specifically targeted for helium accumulation, offering potentially attractive economics in an increasingly supply-constrained global market.
As demand accelerates from high-tech manufacturing, healthcare and clean-energy applications, successful exploration campaigns in the Rukwa Basin could strengthen Tanzania’s position within the global strategic minerals and industrial gases sector.
For Rift Helium, the months ahead represent a defining period. With environmental approvals nearing completion, seismic operations ready to begin and drilling fully funded, the company is moving steadily from exploration planning toward field execution. If upcoming surveys confirm the basin’s significant geological promise, the Upepo Project could emerge as one of Africa’s most closely watched helium developments over the next two years.
