Empire Energy Group Limited Launches $28M Equity Raise to Accelerate Beetaloo Basin Gas Production and Infrastructure Development

Friday, May 16, 2025
at
10:13 am
Article header image

Empire Energy Group Limited is raising $28 million through an institutional placement and SPP. The capital will fund hydraulic stimulation, gas plant installation, and testing in the Beetaloo Basin, aiming for first production in 2025 and targeting low CO2 gas opportunities.

Empire Energy Group Limited is moving ahead with a capital-raising effort designed to fuel its pioneering production efforts in the Beetaloo Basin. The company is issuing 175 million new ordinary shares at A$0.16 per share via an institutional placement and a non‐underwritten share purchase plan. This share issue, representing roughly 17.2% of existing shares, is set at a discount of 22% to the last traded price, and further discounted relative to short-term volume weighted average prices. Each new share comes with an attaching option—one option for every two shares—exercisable at A$0.24 over the next 24 months. The funds raised, which are expected to total a minimum of A$28 million, will be directed towards the hydraulic fracture stimulation and extended production testing of the Carpentaria-5H well, a critical component of the gas pilot project in the Beetaloo Basin. The capital will also support the installation of the Carpentaria Gas Plant, development of in-field infrastructure, and working capital requirements. Empire Energy Group has secured additional credit facilities from Macquarie Bank, and its financing package includes an R&D facility and midstream infrastructure facility, ensuring that sufficient funds are available as the project moves towards production with first gas targeted in 2025. The detailed timeline includes a trading halt on 14 May, placement results announced on 16 May, and eventual trading of new shares starting from 23 May. The share purchase plan has specific key dates, with record date on 15 May and allotment on 13 June, aligning with the overall capital raise strategy designed to deliver the necessary funds in a timely manner. Technical indicators from the offering highlight that the issue price is set at a significant discount relative to recent trading, a factor that might encourage investor participation due to the attractive entry price and attached options. Bullish sentiment is driven by the company’s strong operational progress in the Beetaloo Basin and the scale of its stacked shale play, which parallels notable productions in established basins like the US Marcellus Shale. Empire Energy Group has already achieved milestones such as securing binding gas sales agreements on a take-or-pay basis with an investment-grade customer, and it has robust support from both government bodies and financing institutions. The strategic location near Asian LNG markets and the technical promise of its Carpentaria project add further upside potential. Conversely, bearish considerations include the inherent exploration and operational risks in the oil and gas sector, potential delays in regulatory approvals, and market volatility that may affect commodity prices. The company also faces significant execution risk in scaling its pilot project to full-field development, and a range of external factors such as environmental and title risks could pose challenges. Nonetheless, Empire Energy Group’s commitment to a low CO2 gas product and an aggressive capital and operational strategy appears to position it for substantial growth in a sector with increasing demand for cleaner energy.

Document

Recent Articles