Helix Exploration (AIM:HEX) shares climbed 7.5% on Tuesday, to 38.8p, after independent noble-gas isotope analyses at its Rudyard project showed a deep, predominantly crustal reservoir with a measurable mantle influence.
Analyses conducted by Dr Peter Barry at Woods Hole found helium isotope ratios of 0.665-0.690 Ra (implying ~92% crustal, ~8% mantle), roughly 1% helium in the raw well gas and 855 parts per billion 3He in the Rudyard plant’s purified production stream, a level the company describes as among the highest recorded for a producing helium field.
Consistency of the 0.665-0.690 Ra values across Darwin‑1, Linda‑1 and Weil‑1 is presented as strong evidence that the wells tap a single, uniform deep reservoir, which the company says aids development planning.
The tests also returned 40Ar/36Ar ratios of 7,950-9,665 and about 1,500 ppm argon in the raw gas, a radiogenic signature Helix says is comparable to known underground‑argon sources and of interest to physics experiments.
"These results are remarkable and reinforce what we have believed since day one, Rudyard is not a typical helium field," said Bo Sears, Chief Executive Officer.
