Kibbutz Ma’anit Agreement Paves Way for Zion’s M-J#3 Well
June 1, 2010 by admin
Kibbutz Ma'anit, Northern Israel
According to company CEO Richard Rinberg, Zion plans to start drilling the Ma’anit-Joseph #3 (MJ#3) in August. Zion signed an agreement with the land owner, Kibbutz Ma’anit, for access to the well site and continues the permitting process with various Israeli state agencies.
Rinberg wrote Zion share holders in his May 28 update:
“Further to our ongoing exploration work on the Ma’anit geological structure, we are moving forward with the required permitting and planning for the M-J #3 well (targeted for the ‘deep’ Permian geologic structure). (Deut. 33:13-16)
We are well underway in the process of assembling the various product and service suppliers needed to drill this new well. As reported last time, we instituted a bidding and selection process designed to ensure that we use the best available resources, offering Zion the most favorable overall value. Based on early vendor indications, we anticipate a strong response to our RFQs (Request For Quotes) and have already begun receiving price quotes. All price quotes are expected by month-end and the final vendor selection will follow shortly thereafter.
Permitting for the new well continues to proceed favorably with the recent achievement of a very significant milestone: agreement with Kibbutz Ma’anit granting us access to Kibbutz land where we desire to drill the MJ-3 well.
In Israel, ‘permitting a well’ is a very lengthy and complicated process, as permits are required from various authorities, including the: Water, Fire, Health, Military, District Planning Commission, Environmental Protection, Israel Land, National Infrastructure, Civil Aviation and National Transport Authorities… and of course, the owner of the land.
With the Kibbutz agreement now secured, we are fine-tuning the well site layout and beginning preliminary plans for construction of the site.
The layout and construction of the well site is a project in of itself, as it involves the careful placement of storage containers, offices and living quarters, equipment and liquid storage facilities, power units, and piping all efficiently arranged around the drilling rig and large liquid containment (“mud”) pits while allowing adequate space for the safe movement of personnel and heavy equipment.
As the M-J #3 well site is near residential and commercial areas, we are working diligently with local and governmental groups, to ensure the site will meet (or in some cases exceed) all applicable environmental and safety requirements.
Actual well site construction can begin once we have received all necessary permits. Depending on weather and equipment availability, we anticipate site construction to be completed within one month after being started. Given the progress we are making in both planning and permitting for the M-J #3 well, we remain optimistic that drilling will begin this summer.”
Plans for the new Ma’anit-Joseph #3 well were initiated in April after production testing determined that commercial quantities of gas and oil were not present in Zion’s nearby Ma’anit-Rehoboth #2 well.
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What makes Zion think that the new Ma’anit-Joseph #3 well will be a more advantageous location than the nearby Ma’anit Rehoboth #2 well which had uncommercial accumulations of oil and gas? Is there any scientific evidence that supports the Ma’anit-Joseph #3 well location, such as, structural (seismic), stratigraphic indications, expectations of better reservoir properties and/or more appropriate habitate (trap) of oil and natural gas, etc.? Zion always states that the science supports its exploration effort, yet has, to my mind and knowledge, never presented anything to back-up its operation, except biblical references and interpretations that are hardly convincing. However, HASHEM works in strange ways, and this might be one situation where He decides to bless Zion’s efforts? Even pure luck can find oil if you happen to drill where it is!!
Dr. Baker,
Have you read the USGS Levant Basin report? It is based on Dr. Kashai’s (of Zion Oil) scientific work of the last eight years. Have you read through any of the annual meeting operational reports posted on Zion’s website in the last four years? There’s an overload of scientific and geological back-up. Me-thinks, you’re just not of the mind to look.