The shares on issue is a good point, but there's a world of difference between a 1b share plus company that's poking exploration holes in the middle of nowhere and one that is poking holes into an area where they already know there's gas there.
IMO the number of shares on issue won't stop this if there is as much gas down there as it looks like.
And I also expect a rally leading up to drilling.
I'm gizard, no-one's getting mine.