Ann: Preparing the Path to Development, page-14

Elixir Energy’s announcement today marks the end of an era, and the beginning of what needs to be a very different one.

Neil Young’s contributions to the company can’t be overlooked. He was instrumental in establishing Elixir’s footprint, first in Mongolia, and more recently in building up a sizable resource position in the Taroom Trough. Under his leadership, Elixir pulled off a solid result at Daydream-2, proving good flow rates from the Lorelle Sandstone and putting the region on the map.

But let’s be honest - the past couple of years have been frustrating for shareholders.Progress has stalled. The market’s enthusiasm has cooled. Despite the multi-Tcf potential sitting under Elixir’s acreage, there’s been limited movement toward commercialisation. The company has struggled to turn exploration success into a clear pathway to development or reserves, and the share price reflects that stagnation. A change was needed - not just for optics, but for execution.

That’s where Stuart Nicholls comes in. His track record speaks for itself.At Strike Energy, he took a small-cap explorer and turned it into an integrated mid-cap with real revenues, project financing, and diversified gas-to-power assets. He’s commercially minded, knows how to de-risk and monetise assets, and doesn’t shy away from making strategic pivots when the situation calls for it. And unlike a lot of execs, he’s shown he can get projects through to final investment decision - not just spin stories around potential.

What’s encouraging about his initial comments is that he’s not drinking the Kool-Aid. He’s focused on the basics:

-Locking in tenureBuilding relationships with neighbours
-Driving down costs
-Climbing the reserves ladder
-Laying the groundwork for development

That’s exactly what Elixir needs right now. Not more exploration fanfare - just clear, steady progress towards becoming a serious player in the East Coast gas space.Nicholls has done this before. Now we get to see if he can do it again- and this time, with assets sitting right in the middle of Queensland’s energy transition story and no Gina trying to f* him over (yet).