Maybe I'm going out on a limb here, but I see the exercise of these land options potentially as a sign that things much be going relatively well in getting the plant online so far. If DME was experiencing issues that would cause major delays, let alone fundamental problems, then DME's cash situation would likely suddenly be an issue and I would be surprised that they would actually expend cash right now to exercise these options.
On the other hand, until the plant is actually producing high-grade helium from its wells, DME itself still really doesn't know what it doesn't know. And perhaps the land options exercise issue is being forced right now because those options are up against an expiration date. Hard to say...
Really just some speculative reading of the tea leaves, but that's all anyone has right now while we patiently await news on the upcoming expected milestones.