RE: 22p just on sentiment of recovery. if some sanilty prevails... more.2 Dec 2025 11:12
In short: Pantheon’s Dubhe-1 update shows modest early oil and steady gas production, but the well is still in clean-up and hasn’t yet delivered a representative oil rate. The bigger headline is the cost overrun—final drilling and completion costs came in at ~$33m versus the ~$25m originally expected, which has weighed on investor sentiment.
Key takeaways from the RNS
Well clean-up progress
Oil production began intermittently on 3rd November, with small but consistent volumes from 19th November.
Gas production has steadily increased.
About 40% of injected water has been recovered; Alkaid-2 only showed meaningful oil after ~50% water recovery, so Dubhe-1 may still be early in its clean-up phase.
Multi-stage fracking means different zones may clean up at different times, so patience is required before judging flow potential.
Cost overruns
Initial expectation: ~$10m drilling + ~$15m completion = ~$25m.
Actual: ~$33m, due to pilot hole drilling, core sampling, deeper SFS penetration, contingency measures, and inflation.
Plus $2.5m for the new Dubhe pad, which will serve future wells.
Market reaction was negative, with shares dropping over 20% on the day.
Operational implications
The pilot hole and core sampling add long-term value by refining reservoir understanding and de-risking future wells.
The pad investment is strategic, enabling more wells from the same site.
CEO Max Easley emphasized safe execution and deferred judgment until representative oil rates are available.
What this means for investors
Short-term: The cost overrun is a clear disappointment, and the lack of definitive oil flow rates leaves uncertainty. That explains the sharp share price drop.
Medium-term: If Dubhe-1 eventually delivers commercial oil rates, the extra spend could be justified as part of a broader appraisal program.
Long-term: The data gathered (cores, deeper reservoir penetration) could prove valuable in unlocking the Ahpun and Kodiak fields, but investors will want to see tangible oil volumes before regaining confidence.
I still believe the market has read this wrong….50% will show a different picture completely.
Possibly staged RNS pending the US listing is?