That's a loaded question. Nothing in the in the NR's or filings to that effect which makes it basically "rumor" spread by someone who couldn't control themself. I'd expect the co. to refer you back to NR's and filings.

All is OPINION:

I think the driller standing by verbiage is intended to convey that a process is ongoing. It would be pretty humdrum and perhaps not fully descriptive to say: 'we're doing a PP, and when that is complete, we will engage a drilling outfit'. I read it as 'we've done everything (wrt to a drilling outfit) except sign a contract because the details of the contract are dependent on factors that are not yet finalized' (which common sense would surmise as the strength and speed of response to the PP).

Sometimes the best code-btreaking tool is common sense, and the best code is plain english delivered to the cloak and dagger -obsessed.