Zion to Resume Ma’anit Tests

Zion Oil & Gas said it will resume production testing operations on the Ma’anit-Rehoboth number two well, in Israel, by mobilising its drilling rig from the Elijah number three well.

Zion had drilled the Ma’anit-Rehoboth to a depth of 5,460m, penetrating a number of geologic formations with hydrocarbon potential.

The operations at Ma’anit has been resumed to shift over from the Elijah number three well where operations were temporarily suspended due to operational challenges.

Zion president and chief operating officer Bill Ottaviani said that geologists have identified several potential hydrocarbon-bearing intervals from the diagnostic data acquired when the Ma’anit-Rehoboth number two well was drilled.

“We are currently fine-tuning our plans for production testing these intervals and are looking forward to resuming operations at the Ma’anit-Rehoboth number two well,” Ottaviani said.

The drilling of the well was completed in September 2009 and a workover rig was deployed for swabbing operations in December.

Initially, the firm intended to resume production testing at the well in March or April 2010.

US company Zion Oil & Gas explores for oil and gas in Israel in areas located onshore between Haifa and Tel Aviv.