The Ma’anit-Rehoboth #2 Well

Last week, I gave you a summary regarding this well and can only repeat my words of last week, as the situation remains largely unchanged.

“We drilled the Ma’anit-Rehoboth #2 well to a depth of 17,913 feet (5,460 meters) and on October 2, 2009 released the drilling rig for use on the Elijah #3 well and temporarily suspended drilling operations on the Ma’anit-Rehoboth #2 well, until a smaller rig would become available for completion operations on the seven zones that warrant completion testing.

Four of the zones are in the upper (Triassic) part of the hole and were seen in the Ma’anit #1 well and three of the zones are in the deeper hole drilled in the Ma’anit-Rehoboth #2 well.

Our latest estimate of the likely arrival time of a ‘suitable rig’ at the Ma’anit site is December 2009. We have tried to accelerate matters, but the rig we want to use requires some maintenance work, so we will have to wait. The good news is that ‘completion testing’ work on our well, with the rig now planned, should save Zion approximately $250,000 in cost, as compared with the cost of the original rig that we wanted to use. Waiting is difficult, but at least we will be saving some money by doing so.”

An alternative wording for a ‘suitable rig’ (see above) is a ‘workover rig’.

A workover rig (or well-servicing rig) is very similar to a drilling rig, but is much smaller and much less expensive, as there is no need for the drilling rig’s mud system of pumps and tanks or elaborate pressure-control equipment.

The workover rig that we plan to use is currently undergoing maintenance work by its owners. After completion of the maintenance work, we have been informed that the rig will be carrying out some remedial work on a well in southern Israel and can then travel to our Ma’anit-Rehoboth #2 well site in northern Israel. The current estimate is December 2009, however, we are making every effort to obtain the rig earlier than December.

Drilling Operations on the Elijah #3 Well

In spite of torrential rains this week, drilling operations are proceeding according to plan. As I write, the dark clouds have disappeared and the sky is crystal clear blue, as the rain has washed all the sand particles out of the air. The weather in Israel (like the economy) is ‘uncertain’ at present, but the rig crews work through all weathers and in all conditions. As our Drilling Manager, Jerry Carlisle told me, “There is an old oil field saying, ‘It only rains in the reserve pit,’ so we keep drilling no matter what.”

The oil industry started gaining real momentum towards the end of the 1800s. It lowered the demand for whale oil and so put many sailors out of work. Because sailors were used to working in all weather conditions and at extreme height on ships’ rigging, they were well suited to working on tall oilfield derricks. The sailors brought with them many of their nautical expressions. For example, the drilling derrick and equipment are called a ‘rig’, the derrick is called a ‘mast’, the changing room is called a ‘doghouse’ and the record of events during drilling is called a driller’s log (from the ‘log’ kept by a ship’s captain).

Fast forward to the present, it has been eighteen days since we started drilling our Elijah #3 well and, as of today, Friday, November 6, 2009, we have drilled to a depth of approximately 3,115 feet (950 meters) and are making good progress.