| The Joseph Project |
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Report on Status of Operations by the COO General
Background
Joseph Project SummaryLicenses
GeologyCurrently, Zion is developing four leads and one prospect in its license areas. Three of the leads are located in the Asher-Menashe License area and one lead and the prospect are in the Joseph License area. The map shows the outline of our Asher-Menashe and Joseph Licenses and the general location of the prospect and leads we have developed. In the 4th quarter of 2007. In December and January, the company acquired over 50 kilometers of new seismic for the expressed purpose of upgrading the Nahal Me’arot and Ramot Menashe leads into firm prospects.
Drilling
The Ma'anit structure encompasses 7,400 acres and, compared to any other well in Northern Israel, the top of Triassic is over 1,600 feet higher, i.e. closer to the surface.
Based on the results of the Ma'anit #1 well, the primary product of the planned second well, the Ma'anit-Rehoboth #2, if successful, is expected to be natural gas plus condensate. However, oil was seen on the pits while drilling the Ma'anit #1 well and some oil zones are possible.
Due to the depth and slow bit penetration rates, dry hole drilling costs per well are estimated to be between $7 million and $9.5 million. Completed well costs are estimated to be between $9 million and $11 million.
Markets
Because Israel imports all of its crude oil needs and the markets for crude oil in Israel are the two oil refineries, no special marketing strategy need be adopted with regard to any oil that Zion may discover. Zion believes that it will have a ready local market for its oil at market prices, and will have the option of exporting to the international market. |