Bontan partners with Israeli investors
March 28, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
Bontan Corporation partners with major Israeli investors to raise $16 million of new capital for Israel offshore natural gas exploration project.
TORONTO, March 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ – Bontan Corporation Inc. (OTCBB: BNTNF) is pleased to announce that it and its indirect majority-owned subsidiary, Israel Petroleum Company, Limited (“IPC”), entered into an agreement on March 24, 2010 (the “Agreement”) with Tel Aviv-based Emanuelle Energy Ltd. (“Emanuelle”) and IDB-DT Energy (2010) Ltd. (“IDB-DT”) for approximately $16.1 million of new financing to assist in further developing the natural gas exploration project offshore from Tel Aviv, Israel (the “Project”).
Kam Shah, CEO of Bontan, commented, “This is a very significant milestone for Bontan, partnering with strong local Israeli partners like Mr. Nimrodi and Mr. Sultan will allow this world class gas exploration project to advance to the next stage. This is particularly timely in light of the new March 2010 MNI regulations requiring applicants for offshore projects to demonstrate the financial capability to cover the full estimated cost of their initial project work program and half the estimated drilling cost per offshore well, as well as experience in operating large oil and gas exploration projects.
(Click here to read the full report)
Zion Oil 2009 Annual Report
March 28, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
Zion Oil & Gas CEO Richard Rinberg
Zion Oil & Gas, Inc. filed is 2009 annual report with the SEC on March 16. Among the company’s operation plans for 2010 listed in the 104 page document are plan’s for a fourth well and another possible stock offering.
After CEO Richard Rinberg’s obligatory “Forward Looking Statements” statement (events that haven’t happened yet, haven’t happen and there’s no way of guaranteeing that they will happen, therefore statements about operational plans for the future are ‘forward looking’) the report states:
“As the Ma’anit-Rehoboth #2 well did not reach the Permian geological formation beneath the Joseph license area, we are currently planning to drill a subsequent well, to be named the “Ma’anit-Joseph #3 well”. The Ma’anit-Joseph #3 well is currently anticipated to be drilled in the vicinity of the Ma’anit-Rehoboth #2 well in order to try and reach the Permian target.“
“We believe that our currently available cash resources will be sufficient to finance our plan of operations, as described, through the end of 2010, including the drilling of the planned Ma’anit-Joseph #3 well. To carry out further drilling and maintain operations as presently conducted, we will need to raise additional funds.”
“In order to support our operations and drilling program beyond fiscal year 2010, on January 28, 2010, we filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 for a shelf offering. As of the filing of this annual report on Form 10-K, the registration statement has not been declared effective. When declared effective by the SEC, Zion will have the option to offer and sell, from time to time in one or more offerings, up to $50 million of common stock, debt securities, warrants to purchase any of these securities, or any combination of such securities. The securities may be offered in one or more offerings, and at prices subject to prevailing market conditions to be set forth in a supplemental prospectus filing with the SEC at the time of such offering, should such an offering occur. We do not currently have any commitments to sell securities.”
A copy of Zion Oil’s complete 2009 Annual Report can be downloaded by clicking here: Zion Oil 2009 Annual Report
Zion Oil a Part of God’s Prophetic Timetable
March 28, 2010 by admin · 2 Comments
I received a note from Zion Oil’s founder John Brown last week regarding his belief that Zion Oil’s exploration activities in Israel, and their result, are a part of God’s prophetic timetable for the land of Israel. I agree with him; here’s the letter:
“What I hope your subscriber’s understand is that Zion has been and is directly involved in God’s prophetic time table for Israel and we are not just drilling for oil because if we were just looking for oil then we could do that right here in Texas for a lot less money.
I believe that Zion was created by God to fulfill His promises to the nation of Israel and the Jewish people (see Founder’s Testimony – The Vision and The Calling) and that is why I believe that we will eventually be successful in finding oil in Israel. So what this means is that, according to the Bible, all the money and time, that has been invested by Zion in Israel guarantees all our shareholders God’s blessings. (Gen 12:2, 3)
You can post this if you want because everything we are doing is based on scripture – (including where we are drilling).”
John also included his personal testimony and Zion’s Vision an Calling. Click below to download:
The Great Treasure Hunt
March 28, 2010 by admin · 18 Comments
Would you like to know?
* Where the greatest treasure in the world is buried?
* Why Russia will attack Israel?
* The secret behind the battle of Armageddon?
This is Special 25th Anniversary Edition of Jim Spillman’s The Great Treasure Hunt, the book that started the search for oil in Israel based on God’s promise to the Children of Israel in the Bible.
Completely redesigned and digitally reformatted, this special edition printing contains the all of the text and maps from Jim Spillman’s original The Great Treasure Hunt.
Jim Spillman, author, Greek scholar, historian, evangelist, and Christian educator was widely known for his charismatic ministry and personality. As an evangelist and author Jim used his unique mix of spiritual and educational depth with humor to reach people where they were. Audiences around the world were captivated by the power of God demonstrated in his life and brought to Christ for salvation, baptism, healing, and other mighty works of renewal.
Jim left this earth for his eternal home in late 2002. His work, however, continues to touch people’s lives through books, and recorded material that remain as fresh and relevant today as when they were first produced.
The Great Treasure Hunt by: Jim Spillman,
$9.95 (plus shipping)
Israel’s Biblical Oil Explorers
March 27, 2010 by admin · 3 Comments
THE SEARCH FOR OIL IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL
A BIBLICAL TREASURE HUNT
By Philip Mandelker
APPENDIX
SCRIPTURALLY INSPIRED / INFLUENCED PETROLEUM
EXPLORATION IN ISRAEL
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1. Company: Asher Oil Company
Founder: Wesley Hancock. California based. A family company was active in oil and gas exploration in the United States.
Scriptural Basis: Blessing of Asher in Deuteronomy and story of Elijah’s sacrifice in I Kings.
Period of Activity: Early-middle 1960s.
Area of Activity: North-east flank of Mt. Carmel overlooking the plain of the Kishon Stream.
Primary Activity: Drilling of two wells:
(i) Asher #1: 1963 – drilled to 2,391 meters (7,845 ft) to a target in the Middle Jurassic. Results: Dry.
(ii) Asher #2: 1965 – drilled to 1,314 meters (4,311 ft) to a target in the Middle Jurassic. Results: Dry
Related Non-Scripturally Inspired Drilling:
In 1975, Sonol, a major Israeli gasoline marketing company reentered the Asher #2 well and deepened it to 2,596 meters (8,517 ft) to a target in the Early Jurassic. In 1980, OEL, an Israeli-government exploration company drilled the Asher #3 near the first two Asher wells to 574 meters (1,883 ft) to a Cretaceous target. Both these wells were dry.
2. Company: Energy Exploration Inc.
Founder: Andy Sorelle. Texas based petroleum engineer and wildcatter.
Scriptural Basis: Blessing of Asher in Deuteronomy
Period of Activity: First half of 1980s.
Area of Activity: Coastal plain between Mt. Carmel and the Mediterranean Sea, specifically in the area of the town of Atlit.
Primary Activity: Drilling of one well in two stages:
(i) Atlit #1: 1981 – drilled to 5,273 meters (17,301 ft) to a target in the Early Jurassic. Results: Dry
(ii) Atlit #1 Deep: 1982-1983 – deepened the Atlit #1 to 6,531 meters (21,428 ft) to target in Late Triassic. Results: asphalt and then light oil shows in cuttings before well was lost for technical reasons.
3. Company: Moriah Exploration
Founder: Gilman Hill. Colorado based geoscientist active in oil and gas exploration and developer of exploration technology.
Scriptural Basis: Story of Elijah’s sacrifice in I Kings and the Blessing of Asher in Deuteronomy.
Period of Activity: Early and mid-1980s.
Area of Activity: Mt. Carmel near the traditional site of the Elijah sacrifice.
Primary Activity: Drilling of two wells in 1980 and 1986:
(i) Elijah #1: 1980 – drilled to 2,682 meters (8,800 ft) to a target in the Middle Jurassic. Results: Dry.
(ii) Elijah #2: 1986 – drilled to 651 meters (2,136 ft) to a target in the Cenomanian. Results: Dry.
4. Company: Ness Energy
Founder: Harold “Hayseed” Stephens. A Texas oil and gas explorationist and operator.
Scriptural Basis: Genesis stories of Sodom and Gomorrah and a long series of scriptural references in various books of the Old Testament.
Period of Activity: 1980s and late 1990s-2001.
Area of Activity: Area surrounding the southwest quadrant of the Dead Sea and adjacent areas.
Primary Activity: Participation in drilling of one well in 1985; acquisition of certain exploration licenses in the late 1990s. The well, the Har Sedom #1 was targeted to be drilled to about 3,500 meters about 11,500 ft), but was lost for technical reasons at 1,818 meters (5,965 ft) in the Pliocene. The exploration licenses were lost following the failure of Ness to meet its obligations under the licenses to commence the drilling of wells on the license areas.
Related Non-Scripturally Inspired Drilling Activity
The Har Sedom #1 project and well were developed and operated by an Israeli commercial oil exploration company, Seismica. Ness Energy held a minority working interest (about 15%) in the well.
5. Company: Hoshana Oil Company
Founder: Bernard Coffindaffer. West Virginia based evangelical minister and missionary.
Scriptural Basis: Blessings of Asher, Zebulon and Issachar in Deuteronomy
Period of Activity: Early 1990s
Area of Activity: Southern flank of Mt. Carmel and the Valley of Jezreel just east of the South-eastern flank of Mt. Carmel.
Primary Activity: Acquisition of an exploration license and reprocessing and analysis of seismic data. License lapsed with no progress made towards drilling of well.
6. Company: Camberly Exploration
Founder: Lyle Harron. Canadian oil and gas explorationist.
Scriptural Basis: Blessings of Asher in Deuteronomy
Period of Activity: Early-middle 1990s.
Area of Activity: Coastal plain between Mt. Carmel and the Mediterranean Sea.
Primary Activity: Drilling of one well:
(i) Atlit #2: 1996 – drilled to 1,633 meters (5,388 ft) to a target in the Early Cretaceous. Results: Dry.
7. Company: Givot Olam Oil Exploration
Founder: Tovia Luskin. Russian born and educated geophysicist, active in oil and gas exploration in Canada and Australia, before moving to Israel.
Scriptural Basis: The Blessings of Joseph in Genesis and Deuteronomy
Period of Activity: 1990s to date
Area of Activity: Eastern portion of Sharon Plain between Netanya and Modiin
Primary Activity: Drilling of three wells commencing in 1994:
(i) Meged #2: 1994 – drilled to 5,200 meters (17,061 ft) to a target in the Triassic. Results: 400 API Silurian aged oil recovered from the Middle Triassic.
(ii) Meged #3: 2000 – drilled to 4,742 meters (15,683 ft) to a target in the Triassic. Results: Oil and gas shows in the Middle Triassic, but reservoir of very poor quality (very low porosity and permeability.)
(iii) Meged #4: 2002/3 – drilled to 4,919 meters (16,139 ft) to a target in the Triassic. Results: 360 API Silurian aged oil recovered from the Middle Triassic. Attempts in 2005 to drill a horizontal bore-hole in the well in an attempt to recover the oil which is located in tight reservoir rock failed apparently for technical reasons, with the well abandoned following loss of equipment in the horizontal bore.
Plans underway to drill another Meged well and attempt to develop the Meged field discovery, which was recognized by the Israel Petroleum Commissioner in 2004.
8. Company: Zion Oil & Gas, Inc.
Founder: John Brown. Michigan and Texas based businessman with roots in the machine-tool industry and active in building contracting sectors.
Scriptural Basis: The Blessings of Joseph in Genesis and Deuteronomy.
Period of Activity: 1990s to date.
Area of Activity: Manasseh hills and Sharon plain from the southern flanks of Mt. Carmel to Netanya.
Primary Activity: Drilling of a well in 2005:
(i) Ma’anit #1: (Re-entry) 2005 – deepening of previously abandoned Ma’anit #1 from 2,335 meters (7,661 ft) to 4,719 meters (15,483 ft) to targets in the Middle and Early Triassic. Results: The company announced that during drilling and completion operations, the well had numerous significant oil and gas shows in a 2,100-foot interval.
Analysis of the results of the well is continuing and future activity, including designing comprehensive completion procedure and drilling of an appraisal well being considered.
Related Non-Scripturally Inspired Drilling Activity:
The Ma’anit #1 was originally drilled to 2,335 meters (7,661 ft) in 1995 by an Israeli commercial oil exploration company, Sdot Neft. Though originally targeted to 4,500 meters (14,765 ft), it was abandoned as a dry hole after Sdot Neft ran out of money
(for a PDF Download of Philip Mandelker’s entire study go to: http://www.oilinisrael.net/resources/biblical-treasure-hunt-free-pdf)
Zion Oil & Gas Newsletter March 19, 2010
March 19, 2010 by admin · 2 Comments
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Zion Oil & Gas Newsletter
March 19, 2010
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Dear Shareholder and/or Friend of Zion…
My last update to you was on March 5, 2010. During the past two weeks, we have continued our completion work on the Ma’anit-Rehoboth #2 well. As you can read below, this includes setting packers in the wellbore and perforating the formation by lowering explosives into the well:
On March 16, 2010, Zion’s financials for the 2009 calendar year were filed with the SEC. If you want to review them please click here. They are also available through our website.
NRB Conference – March 2010
During the past two weeks, a team from Zion attended the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. The NRB is a non-partisan, international association of Christian communicators whose member organizations represent millions of listeners, viewers and readers. Those attending showed much interest in Zion Oil & Gas and Zion’s Founder and Chairman, John Brown, gave a number of media interviews at the Conference.
NRB Conference – March 2010
Also visiting the NRB conference was Tom Boulting of Charter Films Ltd. Tom is planning to film a documentary about John Brown and Zion Oil & Gas, Inc. with the title ’49:1 The Zion Story’ He has already established a website for the project at www.zionthemovie.com, including a trailer that you may be interested to watch.
Last week, the Jerusalem Post reported that the Founder and former Chairman of Markstone Capital Group, one of the largest private equity firms investing in Israel, visited Israel and attended the Economic Energy Conference in Tel Aviv. The report notes that, at the conference, he expressed much interest in the Israeli energy sector, which he believes will become significant for the economy and has the potential to lead Israel toward energy independence.
It is clear the Israeli energy sector continues to attract a very high level of interest.
………………………………………………………
Here is this week’s operations update
The Ma’anit-Rehoboth #2 Wellsite on Thursday March 18, 2010
The Ma’anit-Rehoboth #2 Well
Since the previous report, we have been working towards the first production test of this well. We have “conditioned” the hole with clean, filtered fluid (a potassium chloride solution that is compatible with the reservoir rock), successfully perforated the first test interval of approximately 20 meters (see the sample illustrations above), acidized the interval, rigged up Schlumberger Oilfield Services Company, and ran in the hole with their production testing tools. By the time this report is published, the first production test should be underway.
During the acidizing operations, we used a 15% hydrochloric acid solution designed to dissolve any rock debris that may have collected in the newly formed perforation channels and to help clean out the near wellbore rock from any residual drilling mud.
The acid solution contains various additives that serve different roles as part of the overall acid “recipe”: a de-emulsifier that ensures fluid stability; a surfactant (wetting agent) that improves fluid flow by reducing friction; a corrosion inhibitor that protects the pipe from the corrosive effects of the acid; and a solvent which helps to clear any plugging caused by hydrocarbons in the rock pore throats.
Surface pressures observed during the acidizing operation suggest that the job successfully achieved its objectives and that we are now ready to production test the flow potential of the first interval.
To begin the production test, we first create a pressure differential in the wellbore. We do this by estimating the pressure in the rock formation of the test interval and then reduce the hydrostatic pressure in the production pipe (run in the wellbore to near the test interval) to a much lower pressure.
This is done by evacuating the fluid column in the production pipe using nitrogen gas which is possible since the production pipe can be physically isolated from the wellbore. When we are ready to begin the test, we open the production pipe to the test interval and the large pressure imbalance creates the energy for any fluids and gases in the rock to flow to the wellbore and, ideally, to the surface.
We have measuring devices in the well and at the surface, in order to obtain a very accurate reading on pressures and flow rates that will ultimately be used to estimate the amount of producible hydrocarbons within the reservoir rock, if any.
Following this initial test, we will move down hole, where we will test an interval in what is now the ‘open hole’ section of the well. The timing for this next test will depend largely on the outcome of the first test.
Many different factors have to be taken into account when determining how long to production test an interval in an exploration well. A test can run from a few hours to several days and shorter tests don’t necessarily mean bad news just as longer tests don’t necessarily mean good news. We have done what is required to ensure a ‘good’ test… now it is up to the well!
So, at this critical point in our exploration effort, as the Aladdin Middle East, Baker Hughes and Schlumberger specialist teams move forward with their work, let’s all pray for them to reach success… (Deuteronomy 4:7).
Operations at the Elijah #3 Well
(No change from previous report.)
The Elijah #3 well was drilled to a depth of approximately 10,938 feet (3,334 meters) when the drill string became stuck within the Asher Volcanics section of the hole. After recovering a significant portion of the stuck drill pipe, progress in recovering the remainder of the pipe slowed and the decision was made to temporarily suspend drilling operations pending further analysis of the situation and to relocate the rig to the Ma’anit-Rehoboth #2 well.
We are currently assessing various options that should enable us to proceed with the ‘next steps’ for this well.
The Issachar-Zebulun Permit Area
As reported previously, Zion and the Geophysical Institute of Israel (GII) have signed an Agreement for GII, on behalf of Zion, to acquire approximately 30 kilometers of seismic data in Zion’s Issachar-Zebulun Permit area.
The timing for the field work is scheduled to take place mid-summer 2010.
“In your good pleasure, make Zion prosper…”
Psalm 51:18
Thank you for your support of Zion, and
Shalom from Israel
Richard Rinberg
CEO of Zion Oil & Gas, Inc.
www.zionoil.com
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: Statements in this communication that are not historical fact, including statements regarding Zion’s planned operations, geophysical and geological data and interpretation, anticipated attributes of geological strata being drilled, drilling efforts and locations, the presence or recoverability of hydrocarbons, timing and potential results thereof and plans contingent thereon and sufficiency of cash reserves are forward-looking statements as defined in the “Safe Harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward looking statements are based on assumptions that are subject to significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other unpredictable factors, many of which are described in Zion’s periodic reports filed with the SEC and are beyond Zion’s control. These risks could cause Zion’s actual performance to differ materially from the results predicted by these forward-looking statements. Zion can give no assurance that the expectations reflected in these statements will prove to be correct and assumes no responsibility to update these statements.
Contact Information
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More information about Zion is available at www.zionoil.com or by contacting Michael Williams at Zion Oil & Gas, Inc., 6510 Abrams Rd., Suite 300, Dallas, TX 75231; telephone 1-214-221-4610; email: dallas@zionoil.com
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Arab Murmuring Over Israeli Gas Already Begun
March 18, 2010 by admin · 9 Comments
Most of the people following the story of Israel’s recent off shore gas discovery and possible onshore oil discoveries see idea of Israel as energy independent and economically prosperous as a good thing. At least that’s the assumption. But not everyone sees Israel’s independence and prosperity as a plus – especially her neighbors.
If the Arab world views Israel (without hydrocarbon resources) as a worrisome usurper and unwelcome squatter today, an economically and energy independent Israel certainly won’t reduce fear and loathing of it’s Jewish neighbor.
It’s easy to predict an Arab response to a massively successful hydrocarbon industry in Israel. If the Jewish State is viewed as a usurper now, the natural response would be that if the land (and the sea) doesn’t belong to Israel, then neither does its natural resources. It’s an issue today; when economic quantities of oil and gas come into play it becomes the issue.
It’s no surprise that the Arab world will cry foul when Israel becomes energy independent, I just didn’t expect to see signs of it this soon. The excerpts below are from a March 11 article in Abu Dhabi’s newspaper, ‘The National’, written by Dubai-based energy economist Robin M Mills. The piece itself sounds well written and even handed … from an Arabist perspective. The general tone of the article , unsurprisingly, paints Israel as an aggressor and exploiter of the Palestinian people. If this apparently reasonable, thoughtful Arabist response predicts political storm clouds from Israel’s oil and gas success, you can imagine what a more radical response might be.
Oil Rich Abu Dhabi Skyline
From “Israel’s new gas fields will do little for peace” by: Robin Mills
“Middle Eastern country finds large gas reserves. In our hydrocarbon-rich region, this would hardly be news, were it not for the identity of the country: Israel.
Golda Meir, the former Israeli prime minister, used to joke that Israel was the only place in the Middle East without oil. But in January last year, the US company Noble Energy found gas in the Mediterranean: not as good as oil, but a valuable second prize. More recent drilling confirms it is a giant discovery, probably just the first of several.
Suddenly, Israel can look forward to independence from energy imports, a cleaner environment, maybe even earnings from gas exports. But in this troubled region, such a bonanza is not likely to bring benefits to the Palestinians, nor peace. It may even contribute to further conflict (my emphasis) ….
… In a happier situation, these discoveries would be a driver for regional economic integration. Some gas could go to energy-poor neighbours and Israel could join the Arab Gas Pipeline that runs from Egypt up to Syria, and ultimately on to Turkey and Europe.
In such an unstable area, of course, these initiatives are impossible. In reality, any significant exports would be as LNG to Europe, bringing no benefits to neighbouring states.
Tamar has ramifications far beyond business and economics. Earnings from gas would make Israel more able to resist international pressure or boycotts over human rights and peace negotiations, and to weather any reduction in US aid. A secure domestic energy source avoids the need to look to Egypt, where recent legal action has sought to block gas exports to Israel.
Palestinians will feel they have some claim on this gas, but they are unlikely to gain anything from it. The people of Gaza can feel particularly aggrieved. In 1999, the British company BG found a large field offshore Gaza, enough to provide power to all Palestinians for a decade and more, but this gas has never been developed. Indeed, the former Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon stated that Israel would never buy gas from the Palestinians because it had no intention of giving Hamas a source of revenues.
For the Israelis to exploit this gas themselves would be illegal under international law, and forbidden by the Oslo Agreement. They might have chosen to ignore the diplomatic consequences, but with the discovery at Tamar they can afford to leave Gaza’s gas lying idle indefinitely. In the meantime, Gazans face daily eight-hour electricity blackouts.
Tamar itself appears to lie within Israeli waters. However, with no peace agreement and hence border demarcation between Israel and Lebanon, there is always the possibility of new fields being uncovered in disputed areas, at a time of increasing speculation about an Israeli attempt to settle scores with Hezbollah. …
… This episode is a reminder that, in themselves, oil and gas are neither a blessing nor a curse. Everything depends on what is done with them. In this troubled region, Tamar brings benefits only to Israel, and it has the tragic potential to encourage Israeli intransigence.
In the absence of real progress towards peace, gas discoveries cannot be a force for regional prosperity. In the current circumstances, the best that Israel’s neighbours can do is to try to emulate its success.
For the full article go to: http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100312/BUSINESS/703119913/1050
Open Letter from Zion Founder John Brown
March 18, 2010 by admin · 12 Comments
As the editor of www.oilinisrael.net I get a lot of letters and a lot of opinions on what the exploration companies should be doing in Israel. The oil exploration companies, I’m sure, get a lot of them too. Sometimes they’re from stockholders, sometimes not. Most of the letters are encouraging and well meaning; some are just … well, let’s just says they’re shortsighted. First of all, to those who have blessed this website and the exploration companies with encouragement and good wishes, thank you. It means more than you can imagine. To those brave souls who, based on very limited information, have advice on how the exploration companies can improve their efforts, this website welcomes the dialog; good ideas have come from all over … but if your thinking is crooked, don’t be upset if I straighten it – it is an open forum.
And then there are the message boards. Message boards are forums on the internet where like minded folks discuss their opinions on the topic at hand. And, opinions are like bellybuttons; everyone has one. The great thing about message boards are that they allow anyone to express an informed opinion. The bad thing about message boards is that they allow anyone to express an uninformed opinion as well. It’s up to the reader to sort them out. Zion Oil & Gas founder John Brown received a note this week regarding a few opinions that may or may not really exist on one of the more popular message boards. John responded with a thoughtful and (in my opinion) right answer. I asked him if I could share the note and the response as an ‘open letter’ to concerned message board inhabitants.
John Brown Sharing Vision
Letter to John: “Have you been watching the YMB (Yahoo Message Board). Your stockholders are coming apart at the seams…esp concerning the new development of an update only once every 2 weeks. Many feel that the job of Richard is to keep us more informed.”
Response: Dear xxxxx,
This may come as a shock to you but I am so focused on everyone (including Richard) in Zion spending all their time on finding oil that I do not personally look at any YMBs. Why, because the only job we have is to find the oil which will bless both Israel (Gen. 12:2, 3) and our shareholders. And if we have anything new to report, then we will; but if not, then we won’t. While I am not personally involved in sending out these bi-monthly emails, I have suggested to Richard that we should just discontinue them and only update our website when we have something new to report. I am not a person who believes in “Hype” or spending a lot of time holding people’s hands by trying to answer all their many questions. I have tried this, but I find that I’m not going to make everyone happy anyway and because of the diversity in Zion’s shareholders; i.e. charismatic or fundamentalist, Christian or Jew. I am not going to allow myself to become involved in theological disputes or other controversial issues. My personal wish is that instead of all these questions and answers, which only cause more questions or divisions, that we should all spend our time praying for others (including Zion). (Heb 10:35, 36)
My last comment is that we will still do our very best to communicate and be transparent, honest with our shareholders, but if anyone feels that is not enough than I would suggest that maybe they should ask God to change us or perhaps maybe they need to invest in another company that will do what they want, when they want. In the meantime, I’m moving forward as fast as He allows us to fulfill the Vision (Ecc. 3:1) and hopefully that will make your shares more valuable. (Isa. 29:14)
For your information, I have spent over 29 years of my life and all the money I ever had on following this Vision that G-d gave me. And I personally believe that we are very close to actually seeing the scriptures come to pass. (Ro 4:20, 21) So my suggestion to all these who need more communication or are coming apart at the seams is to be patient and wait for the vision to happen. (Hab. 2:3) and quit complaining and murmuring (Ex. 16:2-15) and trust in Him and just rest in peace (Isa. 26:3, 4) (Isa. 32:17, 18) for: “Blessed are all they that wait for Him” (Isa. 30:15-18).
Shalom,
John M. Brown
Zion Oil & Gas, Inc.
Offshore Gas Field is a ‘Monster’
Noble Energy chairman and CEO Charles Davidson expressed optimism that there will be more gas fields discovered at a press conference in Tel Aviv today.
He said, “We conducted a 3D seismic survey, which will provide very sophisticated information enabling us to know whether there are more reservoirs. We believe that there are other reserves adjacent to the Tamar and Dalit reservoirs. We’re now analyzing the results of the seismic survey. I hope that we’ll continue to find natural gas in this country. I’m optimistic about more reservoirs, whether at Leviathan or elsewhere.”
Davidson added, “Israel was the land of milk and honey in Biblical times, but in the modern era, its milk and honey and natural gas. In Israel’s deep waters, in virgin territory, a monster natural gas discovery has been made.”
Noble Energy Inc. (NYSE: NBL) is a partner in the Tamar and Dalit offshore gas fields, together with Delek Group Ltd. (TASE: DLEKG) subsidiaries Delek Drilling LP (TASE: DEDR.L) and Avner Oil and Gas LP (TASE: AVNR.L), Isramco Ltd. (Nasdaq: ISRL; TASE: ISRA.L), and Dor Alon Energy in Israel (1988) Ltd. (TASE:DRAL) subsidiary Dor Alon Energy Exploration Ltd. It is also a partner with Delek Group in the Yam Tethys partnership, which owns a natural gas field offshore from Ashkelon, and in the Leviathan prospect, west of Tamar, with Delek Group Ratio Oil Exploration (1992) LP (TASE:RATI.L).
Noble Energy convened the press conference at the Tel Aviv Hilton not only to wax poetic about biblical Israel, but to outline its program to develop its natural gas reserves in Israel. Investors are eager for any scrap of information about the Leviathan lease, where 3D seismic survey is underway, whose results are due later this month. If gas is found, the prospect’s partners will begin drilling toward the end of the year, at an estimated cost of $100 million.
Davidson said, “The company expects to drill into another large structure during the second half of the year, and to drill in the two discoveries already made during 2011.”
The statement reiterates what Noble Energy said in the conference call following the publication of its financial report for 2009 last month, without explicitly mentioning “Leviathan”. “As for Tamar, the immediate challenge is to reach an agreement with the government on how to bring the gas to shore, since seafront real estate in Israel is very expensive. One possibility is to build a new terminal, another is to use Yam Tethys’ existing infrastructure,” Davidson said.
Davidson promised that the company would meet its timetable for the Tamar well. The well’s partners are due to publish their development plan for the reservoir in the second half of the year. The plan will reportedly cost more than $2.6 billion, with gas production beginning in early 2012.
“We’ve been here for over ten years already,” said Davidson. “Noble Energy won’t be here for years, but for decades. I can’t imagine a better place to be than here.”
Noble Energy will invest $140 million in gas exploration in Israel in 2010, almost 10% of its budget.
Shares of Israeli gas and oil exploration partnerships on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) have skyrocketed by hundreds and even thousands of percent in the past year, as investors seek the next Isramco. Davidson, however, sends a clear message to investors: Be careful. “Oil and gas exploration shares were hyped last year, and I urge caution,” he said. “There is no sure thing in the energy industry, and in the end, only a few companies will succeed. There’s an upside potential in the shares of Noble Energy. I’m a long-distance runner, and I don’t comment about the market’s response over the next week or two. We’re managing projects that will last us decades. In this business, you don’t plan for days, but for the long haul.”
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news – www.globes-online.com
Zion Oil Introduces ’49:1 The Zion Story’ at NRB
March 9, 2010 by admin · 3 Comments
John Brown Stands over the 49:1 Banner
News of the upcoming feature film ’49:1 The Zion Story’ created quite a buzz National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Nashville Feb 27 – March 2. Zion Oil & Gas founder John Brown, author of Breaking the Treasure Code: the Hunt for Israel’s Oil, Steve Spillman, and British filmmaker Tom Boulting were all present during the convention and met publicly and privately with leaders in Christian ministry, broadcasting and entertainment.
John Brown and Steve Spillman shared the story of Israel’s oil during the convention on two radio programs, Charle’s Crismier’s ‘Viewpoint’ broadcast and “The Meeting House” radio show with Bob Crittenden. “Viewpoint aired live on March 1; the archived broadcast can be heard at http://irnusaradio.com/our-programs/viewpoint. “The Meeting House program should air on the week of March 8; broadcast details can be found at http://www.meetinghouseonline.info/.
Thanks to the generosity of Zion Oil & Gas, Convention attendees received complimentary copies of Jim Spillman’s book The Great Treasure Hunt, Zion’s 2010 ‘Joseph Project’ DVD including the film trailer for ’49:1 The Zion Story’, along with free Zion Oil/49:1 t-shirts and Zion Oil & Gas media packages. True Potential Publishing, Inc. sponsored an autograph session with Steve Spillman personalizing complimentary copies of Breaking the Treasure Code: the Hunt for Israel’s Oil for conference attendees. On the last day of the convention, two lucky attendees were drawn for a grand prize of a ten day tour for two in Israel with Jonathan Bernis, sponsored by Zion Oil & Gas and Jewish Voice Ministries, and a second prize of Ten Commandment tablets carved of stone cut from the same quarry in Jerusalem that built King Herod’s palace, sponsored by Holy Jerusalem Stones in Israel.
British Filmmaker Tom Boulting with John Brown on location in Caesarea, Israel
The Zion Movie
According to London based Charter Films, Ltd. CEO Tom Boulting, immediate plans are in process to produce a documentary on Zion Oil’s faith and Bible based search for oil in the land of Israel. Boulting’s extended plans, however, call for a feature length film telling the story of Zion founder John Brown’s faith journey in his quest to discover oil in Israel.
For more on ’49:1 The Zion Story visit www.zionthemovie.com.
