Zion’s journey

 

1981 Zion is a testimony and  a journey of faith, which began for John Brown when he was saved, or born again, in January 1981. This testimony is based only on God’s faithfulness to the Jewish people and the Nation of Israel (Genesis 17:1-8).

In February, Jim Spillman came to Zion Temple in Clawson, Michigan and taught on “The Oil of Israel“; by faith John Brown believed it. God deposits the vision for the oil in John Brown’s heart.

1983During a visit to Israel, John M. Brown (our Founder and Chairman) became inspired and dedicated to finding oil and gas in Israel, and he started the process that led to the Joseph Project. During the next 17 years he made numerous trips to Israel, hired oil and gas consultants in Israel and Texas, met with Israeli government officials, made direct investments with local exploration companies, and assisted Israeli exploration companies in raising money for oil and gas exploration in Israel.

2000 Mr. Brown formed Zion Oil & Gas, Inc., in order to receive the award of a small onshore petroleum license from the Israeli government.

2001 Zion intensified exploration efforts and incorporated an additional 250 kilometers(155 miles) of seismic data into the existing seismic data.

2002 Zion conducted new and enhanced seismic data of the Joseph Permit area.

2003 Zion granted permission to consolidate portions of its existing petroleum rights into the Ma’anit-Joseph License covering approximately 95,800 acres.

2005 Zion’s license expanded by 2,300 acres and deepened the Ma’anit #1 well to a depth of 4,719 meters (15,482 feet). Zion was also granted the Asher Permit to conduct geological and geophysical work on about 121,100 acres.

2006 A Work Program (to re-enter the Ma’anit #1) was approved in March 2006 and Zion continued further analyzation, create completion procedures, and appraisal to drill approximately 800 meteres.

2007 Zion began trading on the American Stock Exchange under the symbol ZN. Zion also commenced work on the Ma’anit #1 well to isolate potentially productive zones from water-bearing formations. However, due to mechanical problems with the well, the work could not be successfully completed.

In June, Zion was granted the Asher-Menashe License and in October 2007, Zion was re-awarded the Joseph License.

2008 Zion’s geological team developed the first drillable prospect on Zion’s Asher-Menashe License, the Elijah #3 well, on a 10,000 acre structure.

2009 Zion’s Ma’anit-Rehoboth #2 well, on the Joseph License, was drilled to a depth of 17,913 feet. After drilling, during swabbing operations, a small quantity of crude oil was retrieved.

In June, Zion was awarded a preliminary petroleum exploration permit (the ‘Issachar-Zebulun’) on approximately 165,000 acres. Zion also completed a stock rights offering and raised $21 million.

In September, Zion switched the listing of its common stock to the NASDAQ. The trading symbol ZN remained unchanged.

In October, Zion spudded the Elijah #3 well in the Asher-Menashe License Area.

In December, Zion completed a second stock rights offering and raised an additional $18 million.

2010 The Elijah #3 well was drilled to 10,938 feet and then suspended further geological investigations.

In April, Zion determined that the Ma’anit-Rehoboth #2 well was not commercial.

In July, Zion completed a stock rights offering raising approximately $12.4 million.

In August, Zion began drilling the Ma’anit-Joseph #3 well.

In December, Zion completed a unit rights offering and raised approximately $18.2 million.

2011 Zion was awarded the Jordan Valley License.

In June, Zion reached a target depth (19,357 feet) in the Ma’anit-Joseph #3 well and Zion was added to the Russell Index.

In July, Zion completed a unit rights offering and raised approximately $24.5 million.

In October, Zion signed an agreement to acquire 9 miles of new seismic data in the field.

2013 On March 27, 2013, Zion launches Direct Stock Purchase Plan (DSPP).

In December, Zion was awarded the Megiddo-Jezreel License. Read more…

2014 On January 5, 2014, Zion Oil & Gas Inc. initiated reentry operations at the Elijah #3 well in Israel. Read more…

2015 In 2015, Zion received final approval to merge a portion of the expiring Jordan Valley license, with the current Megiddo-Jezreel License, in order to keep the land areas and underlying geological structures Zion believes necessary for oil discovery. Zion chose the drill site location for the 4th well – Megiddo-Jezreel #1, situated in the Megiddo-Jezreel Valley close to Beit She’an, Israel.

2016 Zion Oil & Gas Gets “Go Ahead” to Drill Oil Well in Israel On November 29, 2016. The State of Israel’s Petroleum Commissioner officially approved Zion’s drilling date and license extension request. Drill site construction began late December and was announced January 3rd, 2017.

2017 On June 4th, 2017, Zion spudded the long-awaited MJ #1 well.