• 25% increase in lease holdings at Serpentine Natural Hydrogen Project
• Project located at heart of globally significant land rush driven by hydrogen observations and upcoming drilling
• Highly competitive leasing environment as landowners receive multiple offers

Top End Energy (ASX: TEE) has announced a 25% increase in its lease holdings at the Serpentine Natural Hydrogen Project in Kansas, USA. The project is located at the heart of a globally significant land rush, driven by historical hydrogen observations, recent exploration activity by Koloma, and an upcoming drilling program by HyTerra (ASX:HYT). The leasing environment has become highly competitive, with landowners receiving multiple offers to lease their land, underscoring the strategic value of the project and Top End Energy's early competitive advantage. The company is progressing with technical appointments, geological assessments, operational filings, and well site selection in preparation for its upcoming exploration and development activities. Top End Energy is quickly closing in on the critical mass of lease holdings required for exploration and development, with an aggressive leasing strategy and the hiring of additional land services. The company remains committed to a 'quality over quantity' approach, focusing on securing highly prospective infill acreage adjacent to its existing leases and Koloma's exploration activity.

Top End Energy is progressing its pre-drill strategy, with specialised technical appointments and prioritising well site selection in preparation for operational filings and the submission of drill permit applications.