Rockhopper Exploration (LSE:RKH) is a prime performing UK inventory over the previous 30 days and 12 months. The hydrocarbons explorer has seen its shares surged 50% since mid-November and the inventory has nearly doubled in worth for the reason that starting of the 12 months.

Personally, I like shares with momentum. So, is Rockhopper Exploration a hidden gem on the UK inventory market?

Why is the inventory rising?

Rockhopper Exploration’s inventory is on the rise, fuelled by a sequence of thrilling developments in its flagship Sea Lion oil subject challenge. Partnering with Israel’s Navitas Petroleum, Rockhopper has reported important improvement within the North Falkland Basin.

In November, the corporate stated that it now expects the Sea Lion challenge to yield 55,000 barrels per day when peak manufacturing is reached. Rockhopper’s replace additionally famous a 16% enhance in recoverable oil sources, now estimated at 917m barrels, enhancing the challenge’s economics regardless of an uptick in projected capital expenditures to $1.4bn.

In October, the agency additionally secured an important extension of its petroleum manufacturing licences in each the North and South Falkland Basins till December 2026, offering continued exploration and improvement rights.

With first oil from Sea Lion anticipated in This autumn 2027, the extension not solely secures the corporate’s future within the area but additionally strengthens investor confidence, and resultantly, the share price.

Thrilling, however be ready to attend

I truly wrote my PhD in regards to the journey to first oil in a frontier hydrocarbon nation. And one overriding lesson is that in the event you suppose drug discovery is a sluggish course of, the development from hydrocarbon discovery to first oil can take even longer.

As such, we shouldn’t be misguided into considering that in a number of years Rockhopper may have turn into a worthwhile oil producer with constructive money flows. The corporate continues to be very a lot within the improvement stage, partnering, securing licenses, and growing its oil useful resource estimates.

And whereas Rockhopper is forecasting first manufacturing in 2027, there could also be pace bumps. For one, some stories have recommended that the Falkland’s authorities shall be in battle with the UK authorities following a ban on new oil and gasoline licences.

Nevertheless, it’s necessary to notice that London lacks the authority to cease the Falklands exploiting sources in its territory. These resouces may even have a profound affect on the territory’s wealth.

Value investing in?

Properly, as I stated, I like corporations with robust momentum, however I concern we could also be working low on predictable catalysts for now. Rockhopper continues to be exploring different alternatives within the Falklands. Past Sea Lion, there’s potential in fields like Humpback and Isobel, however they’re smaller, and important manufacturing from these property stays a few years out.

We additionally need to take into account that oil costs fluctuate, and it will have a major affect on the profitability of Rockhopper’s property. If oil costs keep excessive or enhance, it may imply that Rockhopper is undervalued, notably when you’ve got a bullish outlook on oil. Nevertheless, given the volatility of oil costs and the lengthy timeline earlier than we see important manufacturing from Sea Lion, I’m not prepared to make an funding based mostly purely on these assumptions.