What is the point of a THP?

What is the actual point of a THP?
Who are they hiding this information from?
Is it a legal requirement?
It is common knowledge this is the biggest discovery in the last two years.
The first mover advantage is long gone, every man and his dog is swarming all over Senegal.
Who benefits the most from a THP ?
The larger partners in the JV?
In an industry that has effectively crashed you would think a THP is counterproductive.
You would think it would be better to sell the story rather than hide it in such difficult times.
The companies involved in this JV heavily qualify all the projections anyway so what difference does it make.
A THP may well be prudent early on in the venture but it seems to work against us this FAR in.
When oil was $100 it was probably more cloak & dagger but with oil at $40 you would think it is more a hindrance than a help.

It just seems silly to me unless there are darker forces at work.
CNE is rallying very strongly and we are 9c
Maybe the THP is 'working'?