Zion Releases Drilling Company Video

Zion Oil & Gas released a company video last week in which Bill Ottaviani (Zion’s President and Chief Operating Officer) and Richard Rinberg (Zion’s Chief Executive Officer) explain why Zion Oil & Gas, Inc. has decided to establish Zion Drilling, Inc. and purchase Aladdin Middle East Ltd’s 2,000 horsepower drilling rig, as soon as practicable. Filming took place in both Israel and Turkey, and gives us a chance to learn the strategic thinking behind some of Zion’s business decisions.

The film was shot and produced by British filmmaker Tom Boulting. Boulting’s company, Charter Films, Ltd. is also working on the full length documentary, “49:1 The Zion Story”. News on the making of the film can be found at www.zionthemovie.com.

Zion Drilling Venture in Israel Signals New Era

Zion Oil & Gas, Inc. announced last week that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Turkish drilling contractor Aladdin Middle East Ltd. to purchase AME’s 2,000 horsepower drilling rig (currently located at Zion’s Ma’anit-Rehoboth #2 wellsite, in Israel). The proposed new company, Zion Drilling, Inc. (a subsidiary of Zion Oil & Gas, Inc.), will own and operate the drilling rig in Israel.

What the new company will mean for Zion Oil & Gas is that they will no longer need to rely on third party drilling contractors on future exploration wells. What the new company will mean for the State of Israel, now experiencing a gas and oil exploration boom, is that a rig, twice the size as has ever operated onshore in Israel, will now be permanently ‘in-country’ and possibly available for other (besides Zion Oil & Gas) Israeli exploration efforts. And that the rig will be owned and controlled by a company solely invested on Israeli oil and gas exploration.

During Zion’s drilling of the Ma’anit #1 well in 2005 operations were frustrated by the rig contracted for project. The Israeli owned 1,000 horsepower Ideco Super 7-11 (at that time the biggest in the country) just wasn’t up to the task of drilling to Zion’s estimated 18,000 foot Permian depth. Fearing they would lose the hole due to mechanical problems, Zion stopped drilling the Ma’anit #1 at 15,842 feet. Although they tested several zones above 15,842, noen produced commercial quantities of oil or gas. The well was abandoned and Zion went on the hunt for a rig capable of drilling to a depth greater than 18,000 feet.

After a year of searching, they discovered a rig owned by Aladdin Middle East in Turkey. The rig required refurbishment and transport to Israel, but at 2,000 horsepower it had the mechanical ability to drill beyond 18,000 feet. Zion brought the rig to Israel in the spring of 2009 and immediately began drilling the Ma’anit-Rehoboth #2. In October of 2009 the AME rig was moved to Zion’s Asher license to begin the Elijah #3 well. Then in February of this year, Zion moved the rig back to the Ma’anit-Rehoboth #2 site to conduct completion testing. Zion’s next well, the Ma’anit-Joseph #3, will be in close proximity to the Ma’anit-Rehoboth #2.

Zion Drilling will purchase AME’s drilling rig for an initial payment of US$ 7 million and a series of US$ 1 million additional payments that are anticipated to coincide with our drilling seven additional wells in Israel over the next few years. As the funds for the purchase of the rig are to be provided by Zion Oil & Gas, our plans are subject to a number of events, including due diligence, the raising of additional capital and the establishment of Zion Drilling.

Zion currently has seven new exploration wells planned and the establishment of a new drilling subsidiary signals not only a long term stability and commitment in Zion’s exploration efforts, but a substantial move forward in Israel’s deep onshore exploration capability and security.

Zion CEO Richard Rinberg’s comment as he announced plans of the new drilling venture speaks not only for Zion’s intention for future oil and gas exploration but can reasonably express the nation of Israel’s oil and gas exploration future as well: “We have both the patience and the firm resolve… and now, we expect to soon have the right tool to finish the job – a 2,000 Horsepower drilling rig in Israel on a permanent basis.”

Zion Oil Announces Proposed New Drilling Subsidiary

Dallas, Texas and Caesarea, Israel – April 19, 2010 – Zion Oil & Gas, Inc. (NASDAQ GM: ZN) announced today that the Company recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Aladdin Middle East Ltd. (AME).

The MoU outlines Zion’s plan to establish a subsidiary, tentatively named “Zion Drilling, Inc.”, which will purchase AME’s 2,000 horsepower drilling rig (currently located at Zion’s Ma’anit-Rehoboth #2 wellsite, in Israel) in exchange for an initial payment of US$ 7.0 million and a series of US$ 1.0 million additional payments that are anticipated to coincide with Zion’s drilling of seven (7) additional wells in Israel. Each of these payments is to be funded by Zion Oil & Gas, Inc. The MoU provides that Zion Drilling, Inc. will be 51% owned by Zion Oil & Gas and 49% owned by AME. AME will be responsible for the daily drilling operations of Zion Drilling, Inc.

Zion’s Founder and Chairman, John Brown, said today, “The signing of the MoU with AME marks a significant milestone in the life of Zion Oil & Gas. We are looking forward to establish Zion Drilling, Inc. as this will help us to drill as many wells as it takes, in order to recover the ‘treasures of the deep that lie beneath’.” (Deut. 33:13-16)

Zion’s Chief Executive Officer, Richard Rinberg, noted, “By establishing Zion Drilling, Inc. we will clearly demonstrate our ability to continue to drill wells in Israel without dependence on any outside third party.  We will have secured permanent control of a drilling rig for our planned future operations and consequently also raised Zion Oil & Gas, Inc.’s exploration business to a completely new level. We remain excited about the prospect of recovering hydrocarbons on the Ma’anit structure and on our other license and permit areas, especially due to the recent publication of a report by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), containing their assessment that there may be 1.7 billion barrels of recoverable undiscovered oil in the Levant Basin. Zion’s exploration rights fall within the area of the Levant Basin.”

Zion’s common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “ZN” and Zion’s warrants trade under the symbol “ZNWAW”.

Zion Oil & Gas, a Delaware corporation, explores for oil and gas in Israel in areas located on-shore between Haifa and Tel Aviv. It currently holds two petroleum exploration licenses, the Joseph and the Asher-Menashe Licenses, between Netanya, in the south, and Haifa, in the north, covering a total of approximately 162,000 acres and the Issachar-Zebulun Permit Area, adjacent to and to the east of Zion’s Asher-Menashe license area, covering approximately 165,000 acres. Zion’s total petroleum exploration rights area is approximately 327,000 acres.

AME is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company, incorporated in Delaware in 1962, with its head office in Wichita, Kansas. AME has drilled more than 130 exploration and development wells in Turkey and Egypt for major oil companies, including Exxon, Mobil, Wintershall AG, MOL, Placid Oil, Neste Oy, Burren Energy Inc. and Edison International spa. Its rig inventory includes 11 drilling and workover rigs.

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, sufficiency of cash reserves, ability to raise additional capital, the successful establishment of the drilling subsidiary and the negotiation and execution of definitive agreements with AME with respect thereto, timing and potential results thereof and plans contingent thereon 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.

Zion’s homepage may be found at: www.zionoil.com

Contact:

Zion Oil & Gas, Inc.

Mike Williams, 214-221-4610

dallas@zionoil.com

Zion AME Rig Leaves Turkey

The 2,000 horsepower Aladdin Middle East drilling rig contracted by
Zion Oil & Gas to drill the Ma’anit Rehoboth #2 well in northern
Israel was loaded on the the freighter “Umiavut” yesterday at the
Turkish port of Iskenderun.

Moving the rig from Turkey to Israel is no small chore.
Transporting the Zion rig overland requires 80 truckloads of
equipment. That’s 80 trucks loaded in Ankara (inland Turkey) and
transported to the dock at Iskenderun. 80 trucks unloaded and put
aboard ship. 80 trucks unloaded at Haifa, Israel and transported to
Zion’s Ma’anit Rehoboth site. 80 trucks unloaded and set up at the
well site. Whew!

Here’s the estimated time lapse: Transit time via ship from Turkey
to the port of Haifa in Israel is four days. Combined transit and
setup time from the port of Haifa to the well site at Ma’anit is
nine days. Today is April 16. If all goes well, by April 30 (don’t
count Shabbat on the 25th) we may be hearing exciting news from
Israel!

Zion Oil Announces Revised Drilling Schedule

Zion Oil announced today (read the full press release below) that the delivery of the AME drilling rig to Israel will be delayed until January of 2009 due to Israeli government delays in processing AME’s work permits.

According to AME, other than the delay in processing work permits, machinery updating and refurbishment is complete and the drilling rig is sitting in Ankara, ready to ship.

On Zion’s side, completion of the site preparation and final government permissions are underway.

Anyone who has ever built a house knows about delays, like the building inspector not showing up when he’s scheduled. The inspector finally arrives and the house get completed. I don’t think the process changes much as the project’s grow in size.

The bottom line is that the rig is now scheduled to be in Israel in January rather than November, as previously expected. On the positive side, it looks like AME and their drilling equipment is ready to roll and Zion’s site preparations should be complete by the time the rig arrives in January. Pray for progress without further delays. And news of a bit turning in Northern Israel!

Here is Zion’s press release:

 

Zion Oil Updates Drilling Schedule

 Dallas, Texas and Caesarea, Israel- November 7, 2008 – Zion Oil & Gas, Inc. (NYSE Alternext US: ZN) announced today updated information regarding the status and importation into Israel of the drilling rig and crews contracted for (on September 12, 2008) with Aladdin Middle East Ltd (AME). Under the terms of the contract, AME committed to provide a completely refurbished and updated 2,000 horsepower rig and crews to drill Zion’s planned Ma’anit-Rehoboth #2 well ‘directionally’ to below 18,000 feet.

AME has advised Zion that the drilling rig refurbishment has been successfully completed and that the rig stands ready in Ankara, Turkey. AME have started the process of obtaining Israeli work permits for their crews; however due to the relevant government office in Israel having been closed for most of October, the workers’ permitting process was delayed. It is now anticipated that the rig will be shipped out of Turkey in January 2009.  

Zion has recently received positive notifications on almost all of the required Israeli permits (other than crew work permits) related to the Ma’anit-Rehoboth #2 well and is now working on the location site to prepare it for the arrival of the rig.  

As detailed in its registration statement, Zion is raising funds in order to pursue its planned multi-well drilling program. Depending on actual amounts raised, Zion intends to carry out the following work program: drill Zion’s second well, on Zion’s Joseph License, to the Triassic Formation (down to a depth of 15,400 feet) and / or to the Permian Formation (down to a depth of 18,040 feet), drill a test well on Zion’s Asher-Menashe License to the Triassic Formation and, if appropriate, the Permian Formation and prepare for the drilling of an additional well on either its Joseph or Asher-Menashe License. 

Zion’s common stock trades on the NYSE Alternext US under the symbol ZN. 

Before you invest, for more complete information about Zion Oil & Gas and its offering, you should read Zion’s registration statement (including a prospectus) together with the other documents Zion has filed with the SEC. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, Zion Oil & Gas or its underwriter, Brockington Securities, Inc, will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling toll free 1-888-TX1-ZION (1-888-891-9466). Direct links to the SEC location, or to the documents in PDF, may be found on the home page of Zion Oil & Gas, at www.zionoil.com. 

Zion Oil & Gas, Inc., a Delaware corporation, explores for oil and gas in Israel in areas located onshore between Tel-Aviv and Haifa. It currently holds two petroleum exploration licenses, the Joseph and Asher-Menashe Licenses, between Netanya on the south and Haifa on the north, covering a total of approximately 162,000 acres. 

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: Statements in this press release that are not historical fact, including statements regarding Zion’s planned operations, potential results thereof and plans contingent thereon, including the importation of a drilling rig into Israel, the granting of various required permits, the selection of potential drilling targets and locations, 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. 

Zion Oil & Gas, Inc. has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about Zion Oil & Gas and its offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, Zion Oil & Gas or its underwriter will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling toll free 1-888-TX1-ZION (1-888-891-9466). Direct links to the SEC location, or to the documents in PDF, may be found on the home page of Zion Oil & Gas. Inc., at www.zionoil.com. 

Contact:

Brittany Russell

Zion Oil & Gas, Inc.

6510 Abrams Rd., Suite 300

Dallas, TX 75231

(1) 214-221-4610

Email: dallas@zionoil.com