• Operating license awarded by Kansas regulator for Serpentine Natural Hydrogen Project
• Advancing toward drilling permits with well site selection underway
• Leveraging insights from regional exploration to optimize approach

Top End Energy Limited (ASX: TEE) has announced that its wholly owned US subsidiary, Serpentine Energy LLC, has been awarded an operator license by the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC), the regulatory authority overseeing energy exploration and production activities in the state. This certification provides the company with the necessary regulatory standing to initiate exploration operations for its 100% owned and operated Serpentine Natural Hydrogen Project in Kansas, USA. With the operator license secured, Top End Energy is now authorized to submit the required documentation for drilling permits. The company is currently in the process of well site selection and will leverage insights and lessons learned from ongoing exploration activities in the region to optimize its approach towards drilling methods, air and mud systems, hydrogen gas detection, and formation testing protocols. This 'fast-follower' strategy will help the company de-risk its natural hydrogen system and unlock the potential of its Kansas project. The announcement comes as Australian listed peer HyTerra (ASX: HYT) has confirmed it is drilling ahead on its first well in Riley County, Kansas, with the exploration campaign backed by a strategic investment from Fortescue Future Industries. Top End Energy will closely monitor the technical outcomes of these wells, as well as previous wells drilled by Koloma, to identify the optimal balance between drilling efficiency, data acquisition quality, and cost-effectiveness.

The company has not provided any high-importance, price-sensitive forward-looking financial metrics or guidance in this announcement.

The company has not provided any forward-looking outlook statements in this announcement.