Standard Lithium and Equinor Joint Venture Secures Over $1 Billion in ECA Interest for Arkansas Lithium Project

The Smackover Lithium joint venture between Standard Lithium Ltd. and Equinor has reported receiving over $1 billion in expressions of interest from major Export Credit Agencies, including EXIM and Export Finance Norway, for senior secured project debt to support Phase 1 construction of the South West Arkansas Project. The joint venture is pursuing up to $1.1 billion in limited recourse project financing, which would combine ECA-backed lending and guarantees with an uncovered commercial bank tranche. Market sounding with global lenders delivered strong interest at indicative terms that exceeded the targeted debt amount and aligned with expectations on cost, tenor, and structure.

Management stated that the response underscores the project's strategic importance and technological de-risking as the joint venture advances toward a Final Investment Decision. All expressions of interest remain subject to due diligence, approvals, and definitive documentation. This development matters because it represents a significant vote of confidence from international financial institutions in the viability of domestic lithium production at a time when securing critical mineral supply chains has become a national priority for many countries.

The implications of this announcement are substantial for the North American lithium market. The South West Arkansas Project represents one of the most advanced lithium brine developments in the United States, located in the Smackover Formation, a world-class lithium brine asset. The project's advancement with substantial financial backing could accelerate domestic lithium production capacity, reducing dependence on foreign sources for this critical battery metal. The full press release regarding the ECA interest can be viewed at https://ibn.fm/Tl1rh.

Standard Lithium is advancing the South West Arkansas Project, a greenfield project located in southern Arkansas, and actively advancing a promising lithium brine resource position in East Texas, including the highest known lithium brine grade project in North America, the Franklin Project. More information about the company is available at https://www.standardlithium.com. The company prioritizes projects characterized by high-grade resources, robust infrastructure, skilled labor, and streamlined permitting.

Standard Lithium aims to achieve sustainable, commercial-scale lithium production via the application of a scalable and fully integrated Direct Lithium Extraction and purification process. The latest news and updates relating to Standard Lithium are available in the company's newsroom at https://ibn.fm/SLI. The strong ECA interest suggests that international financial institutions recognize the strategic value of establishing domestic lithium production capacity using environmentally sustainable methods.

This financing development comes at a critical time for the electric vehicle and energy storage industries, which face growing demand for lithium-ion batteries. The successful securing of this project financing could establish a template for other critical mineral projects seeking to leverage export credit agency support. The involvement of major ECAs like EXIM and Export Finance Norway indicates that governments view supporting domestic lithium production as strategically important for energy security and industrial competitiveness.