A Texas energy company backed by several figures with political or business connections to President Donald Trump is preparing an ambitious oil exploration campaign in eastern Greenland, despite a public dispute over whether it has received the government approvals needed to begin work.
Greenland Energy Company plans to drill exploratory wells in the Jameson Land Basin, a remote Arctic region where the company believes substantial petroleum resources may exist. It has raised approximately $70 million and has said it intends to begin drilling operations in October 2026.
However, Greenlandic officials have challenged how the company has presented its regulatory position.
During a June meeting with residents of Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland Energy chief executive Robert Price reportedly said the company had permission to place equipment on the land while its drilling applications remained pending.
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Greenland’s resources ministry subsequently said there were no active permissions covering exploration activity or preparations for such activity. Mineral Resources Minister Múte B. Egede also stressed that work could not proceed until all necessary permits had been granted and said the company’s public statements did not always reflect the actual regulatory situation.
The company’s own U.S. securities filings present a more complicated picture. Greenland Energy has stated that the Greenland government approved the mobilization and landing of certain heavy equipment, including bulldozers, trucks, excavators, generators and housing units. The filings also acknowledge that drilling, construction and other petroleum activities require additional site-specific permits and environmental approvals that could delay or stop the project.
The apparent difference between the company’s filings and the ministry’s statement has not been publicly resolved. Approval to transport or unload equipment would not necessarily amount to permission to construct roads, prepare drilling sites or begin exploration.
Greenland Energy does not directly own the original exploration licenses. The licenses are held through White Flame Energy, a subsidiary connected to the London-listed company 80 Mile.
Under a farm-out agreement, Greenland Energy is funding the initial wells and could earn a 50% working interest after completing the first well and up to 70% after the second. The transfer of those interests remains subject to consent from Greenland’s government.
Greenland stopped issuing new oil and gas exploration licenses in 2021, citing climate and environmental concerns. Certain previously issued licenses remained valid, including the Jameson Land licenses that Greenland Energy is attempting to use through its agreement with 80 Mile.
The company says independent estimates indicate that the licensed area could contain as much as 13 billion barrels of recoverable oil. That figure represents a high-end, un-risked prospective estimate rather than discovered or proven reserves.
Greenland Energy’s filings clearly warn investors that no commercial oil or gas discovery has ever been made in the basin. They also cite an earlier U.S. Geological Survey assessment that gave the area less than a 10% chance of containing a technically recoverable hydrocarbon accumulation. Failed drilling could therefore leave the company with no commercially usable discovery despite the large projected figures.
Environmental concerns are also likely to influence any government decision. Parts of Jameson Land include the Heden wetland, which has been designated internationally important under the Ramsar Convention and provides habitat for Arctic birds and other wildlife.
The project is attracting additional political attention because of Trump’s repeated demand that the United States acquire Greenland from Denmark. Greenland’s government and population have repeatedly maintained that decisions about the territory’s future belong to Greenlanders.
Greenland Energy says the project is not connected to American annexation plans. Nevertheless, its investors and partners reportedly include individuals who have donated to Trump, participated in his administration’s initiatives or publicly supported his political movement. Television personality Phil McGraw, who has appeared with Trump, is also involved in producing a documentary series about the company’s exploration campaign.
Political connections do not prove that the White House is directing the company’s plans. However, the overlap could increase local suspicion at a time when Trump is openly linking Greenland to American energy, military and national-security interests.
For Greenland, the decision involves competing priorities. A major discovery could potentially generate investment, employment and public revenue. But unsuccessful drilling could produce environmental disruption without delivering lasting economic benefits, while a commercial discovery could intensify foreign pressure over the territory’s future.
Why It Matters
The dispute will test whether Greenland can maintain control over its natural resources while facing growing interest from powerful American political and business figures.
For local communities, the project could bring jobs and infrastructure, but it could also affect protected habitats and create long-term environmental risks. Investors also face significant uncertainty because the company has no proven reserves and still requires government approvals before drilling can legally proceed.
What Comes Next
Greenlandic authorities will review the company’s environmental, operational and drilling applications before deciding which activities may proceed. The government could approve the project, impose additional conditions, delay it or reject parts of the plan.
Greenland Energy is continuing preparations for an October drilling campaign, but that timetable will depend on whether regulators grant the remaining permits and clarify what preparatory work is currently authorized.
A Trump-connected energy company says it plans to begin drilling preparations despite questions over government approval.
🔴 Trump-linked Texas oil firm claims permits for Greenland drilling; government denies approval
Greenland Energy, a Nasdaq-listed company backed by financiers with Trump connections, says it will deploy 300 shipping containers of drilling equipment to Jameson Land in October.… pic.twitter.com/cEqvBXBXhU
— NewsTongue (@NewsTongueX) July 9, 2026
