U.S. Energy Corp. Announces Major Operational Progress and Upcoming Catalysts at Kevin Dome Industrial Gas and Carbon Management Project

Core Viewpoint - U.S. Energy Corp. is advancing its Kevin Dome project into a scalable industrial gas and carbon management hub, focusing on helium production, CO2 recovery, and enhanced oil recovery, positioning itself at the intersection of energy security and environmentally responsible practices [1][2]. Key Milestones Accomplished - The company has aggregated approximately 80,000 net acres in Montana's Kevin Dome, with a third-party evaluation estimating 1.3 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of CO2 and 2.3 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of helium [5]. - U.S. Energy has submitted the first Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) plans in Montana, which, upon approval, could rank its project among the top 20 largest carbon capture projects in the U.S. [5]. - Three producing industrial gas wells are currently operational, expected to supply the initial processing facility for multiple years without additional drilling [5][6]. - The final engineering and design work for the processing facility has been completed, and an 80-acre plant site has been acquired, reducing execution risk [5]. Processing Facility and Infrastructure Update - The planned processing facility is designed for approximately 8.0 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of inlet capacity, producing high-purity helium and refined CO2 for enhanced oil recovery [8]. - Installation of about 10 miles of in-field gathering pipelines is set to begin in Spring 2026, with completion targeted for Q3 2026 [9]. Expected Production and Commercialization - Initial operations are expected to yield approximately 12 million cubic feet of helium and 125,000 metric tons of refined CO2 annually [13]. - The company is in discussions with a global industrial gas company for a long-term helium offtake agreement, anticipated to be finalized in Q1 2026 [10]. Enhanced Oil Recovery on Legacy Assets - U.S. Energy plans to utilize refined CO2 in a large-scale enhanced oil recovery project at its Cut Bank oil field, leveraging favorable reservoir characteristics and existing infrastructure [11]. 2026 Catalysts and Investor Outreach Events - Key milestones anticipated in 2026 include executing a long-term helium offtake agreement, securing project-level financing, and completing gathering infrastructure [14]. - Upcoming investor outreach events include a non-deal roadshow on February 25-26, 2026, and participation in the Emerging Growth Virtual Conference on February 26, 2026 [14].