Helix Exploration PLC (AIM: HEX, OTCQB: HEXFF) shares jumped 10% in early trading after the company secured regulatory approval to restart operations at its Rudyard helium production facility in Montana, United States.
The US-focused helium producer confirmed that the Montana Board of Oil and Gas Conservation (MBOGC) granted an exemption allowing operations to resume immediately after a regulatory hearing on 15 October 2026.
The approval permits Helix to vent waste gas, primarily nitrogen, generated during helium production at Rudyard, subject to standard periodic reviews of gas composition.
Helix has already begun restarting its wells and production facility, and is preparing to resume commercial helium deliveries.
The company expects to restart filling helium tube trailers within the coming days, operating on a continuous rotation basis under the sales arrangement announced on 25 September 2026.
Both of Helix’s leased tube trailers are already positioned at the Rudyard facility, ready to be filled once production and processing operations have been re-established.
The regulatory decision removes an immediate operational restriction at Rudyard, allowing the company to resume production activities while continuing its planned field expansion programme.
Chief Executive Bo Sears welcomed the approval, thanking Montana regulators and confirming that the company is focused on bringing its wells and processing infrastructure back into operation.
The restart represents an important step towards resuming commercial helium deliveries, although Helix has not yet confirmed updated production volumes or sustainable flow rates.
For investors, the approval provides a near-term operational catalyst, with the 10% early share price rise reflecting a positive initial market reaction to the announcement.
Helix said it will issue a further update once well flow rates have been established and tube trailer filling has recommenced.
Attention will now turn to the speed of the restart, confirmed helium production rates and the resumption of deliveries, which will provide a clearer indication of Rudyard’s operating performance and near-term revenue potential.
