Barrell Energy Inc. announced the launch of a Series A funding round for its portfolio company, Barrell Lithium LLC, aimed at accelerating expansion efforts in the promising Smackover lithium brine play in East Texas.

This latest fundraising initiative follows a successful seed round completed in November 2024 and is designed to support Barrell Lithium’s strategic push to grow its leasehold position to approximately 40,000 acres across key prospect areas. The new capital will significantly boost the company's ability to secure additional geologically advantageous acreage within the Smackover formation, building on assets acquired over the past three years.

“We successfully added acreage across three core prospect areas in East Texas after the seed round,” said Kirk Barrell, president of Barrell Energy Inc. “This Series A will allow us to meaningfully scale our presence and strengthen our position in this high-potential lithium brine play.”

Barrell Lithium is leveraging more than 40 years of geological and land acquisition expertise from its parent company. Over the last four years, the team has conducted intensive geological studies across 15 counties in East Texas, focusing on structure, reservoir quality and lithium resource potential within the Smackover formation.

The company also operates a leasing office in Atlanta, Texas, at the heart of the Smackover play. This local presence has helped foster strong community relationships and streamline leasing activity with landowners in the area.

“The Smackover has seen a surge in activity and competition over the past year,” Barrell said. “With major operators like ExxonMobil and Equinor now entering the lithium fairway, the play’s commercial potential is being validated at scale. We’re using our deep geological knowledge and our highly experienced local land team to efficiently expand across multiple high-potential prospects.”

Barrell Energy’s targeted approach combines data-driven geological analysis with strong regional partnerships, giving the company a competitive edge in one of the nation’s most exciting emerging lithium plays. The planned expansion is aligned with rising demand for domestic lithium resources, driven by the energy transition and the growing need for battery-grade materials.

With the Series A round now open, Barrell Lithium is positioning itself to become a key player in the development of lithium resources from the Smackover formation—an area quickly gaining traction as a major source of critical minerals for the clean energy future.

Barrell Lithium LLC, a Texas-based subsidiary of Barrell Energy Inc., is dedicated to the exploration and development of lithium brine resources in the Smackover formation of East Texas.