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Tamboran Resources Corp (TBN)·Q1 2026 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q1 FY26 marked a pivotal execution quarter: the Shenandoah South Pilot Project reached FID, the SS-6H 60-stage stimulation commenced, and both SPCF (68% complete) and APA’s Sturt Plateau Pipeline (60% welded) remained on budget and schedule for mid‑2026 first gas .
- Funding strengthened materially: $56.1M gross Public Offering at $21/share, up to $32M PIPE pending shareholder vote, and an SPCF facility financing backed by a Northern Territory guarantee; quarter-end cash was $39.6M with ~$100M near-term inflows, positioning Tamboran to fund pilot wells and SPCF commissioning .
- Operational efficiencies improved: three 10,000‑ft horizontals drilled ahead of schedule and below budget; average spud-to-TD 26.7 days; stimulation design updated toward ~2,250 lb/ft proppant and ~55 bbl/ft water, and tracer-tagged native sand tests to cut costs .
- Guidance maintained with upside: mid‑2026 first gas at 40 TJ/d maintained; management now sees near-term expansion to 50 TJ/d and a pathway to 100 TJ/d within ~12–18 months via incremental compression, subject to approvals and execution .
- Near-term stock catalysts: SS‑6H IP30 in Q1 CY26, Falcon acquisition vote/close in Q1 CY26, Phase 2 farm-out decision in Q1 CY26, and continued SPCF/SPP commissioning progress .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- FID achieved on the Shenandoah South Pilot Project; all key commercial and stakeholder approvals secured under BUG legislation, enabling appraisal gas sales and avoiding flaring .
- Drilling program delivered ahead of schedule and below budget: three 10,000‑ft horizontals batch drilled; average spud-to-TD 26.7 days; SS‑6H set a daily record >3,750 ft in the target shale .
- Funding and strategic partnerships: $56.1M public raise backed by Baker Hughes ($10M), PIPE up to $32M, and preferred services agreements with Baker Hughes plus ongoing alliances with H&P and Liberty Energy to improve well delivery and economics .
- “Baker... will supply oilfield services and support optimization and efficiency initiatives in Tamboran’s initial development” .
What Went Wrong
- Coil tubing failure at SS‑4H delayed stimulation sequence; management pivoted to SS‑6H to stay on schedule; service provider to bear costs .
- Operating cash outflow rose with pilot activity and SPCF build; net loss widened year-over-year as field and financing-related costs increased despite lower exploration expensing (more capitalization) .
- Internal controls remain a material weakness; remediation underway but not yet effective, posing reporting/process risk until sustained testing demonstrates effectiveness .
Financial Results
Values marked with * retrieved from S&P Global.
Context and drivers:
- No revenue recognized; company remains pre-production under successful efforts accounting .
- Q1 net loss $(8.18)M; operating costs driven by camp mobilization ($1.63M), LNG pre-FEED ($0.19M), accretion of ARO ($0.29M), and G&A, partly offset by capitalized pilot drilling/stimulation and camp recoveries .
- Operating cash use reflects drilling of SS‑4H/5H/6H, SPCF construction and lease payments; financing inflows post-quarter strengthen liquidity .
Guidance Changes
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- “This quarter marks a significant milestone… we officially sanctioned the Shenandoah South Pilot Project, paving the way for first gas sales… in mid‑2026” (Dick Stoneburner) .
- “At the end of the quarter, we had approximately $40 million in cash… with near-term cash inflows of $100 million… we are well positioned to fund our pilot project” .
- “We think… this system can deliver up to 50 million a day… immediately working toward increasing… to 100 million a day” .
- “We are progressing in-basin sand… we’ll tag stages with tracer… the ideal situation is they all perform relatively the same” .
- “It’s a robust [farm-out] process… surprised by the quality and the number” .
Q&A Highlights
- Funding runway: CFO outlined cash build from $39.6M to ~$127.6M on PIPE vote and SPP, with additional SPP/share plan potentially to ~$160M; SPCF debt facility secured; Falcon adds ~$10M spend but overall “well funded” .
- SS‑4H coil incident: Service provider rig-up error sheared coil; costs borne by provider; shifted stimulation to SS‑6H to maintain schedule .
- Completion philosophy: Move toward SS‑1H-style intensity with less water/sand given reservoir performance; deliberate choke management and soaking (20–30 days) prior to IP30 .
- Expansion upside: System can likely deliver 40–50 MMcf/d initially; compression expansion could reach ~100 MMcf/d before long-haul pipeline .
- Market context: Domestic NT/East Coast gas shortfall persists; JKM ~$11/MMBtu supports returns; priority is local supply before LNG exports .
Estimates Context
Values retrieved from S&P Global. Coverage remains limited given pre‑revenue status; consensus points to $0 revenue through Q2 FY26, and EPS consensus was not available. The company reported Q1 FY26 net loss per share of $(0.467), suggesting estimates may need to reflect ongoing pilot spend until first gas .
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Execution de‑risking: FID, stimulation start, and SPCF/SPP construction reduce path‑to‑first‑gas risk; watch SS‑6H IP30 and YE25 SPP completion as confirmation points .
- Funding capacity: Post‑quarter equity raises and facility financing provide runway to mid‑2026 commissioning; liquidity steps materially cut financing overhang .
- Cost trajectory: Batch drilling and local sand validation could improve capital efficiency; monitor tracer results and stage pumping rates for cost-down proof points .
- Volume upside: Near‑term potential to 50 TJ/d and plan to ~100 TJ/d via compression expansion create optionality ahead of long‑haul pipeline decisions .
- Farm-out and consolidation: Phase 2 farm-out and Falcon deal are key strategic catalysts for scale and carry; outcomes will shape Phase 2 capital intensity and timing .
- Macro demand tailwinds: NT/East Coast shortfall and stable JKM support domestic-first monetization; regulatory approvals under BUG framework enable appraisal sales now .
- Risks: Operational execution (stimulation, flowback), internal controls remediation, regulatory/community processes (ILUA), and wet-season logistics remain watch items .
KPIs
Values marked with * retrieved from S&P Global.
Segment breakdown: Not applicable (pre‑revenue) .
Disclosures of non‑GAAP: None presented; company is pre‑revenue and reports under US GAAP successful efforts method .