13.12.2009

The process consists of fusing nuclei rather than splitting a nucleus as happens in ordinary nuclear-fission power plants. In a fission reaction, the nucleus of a uranium atom is split into two smaller atoms, releasing energy in the form of heat. The heat is used to make steam, which drives a turbine and generates electricity. In fusion energy, the second half of this process (heat makes steam makes electricity) remains the same. But instead of splitting the nucleus of an atom, you’re trying to force a deuterium nucleus to merge, or fuse, with a tritium nucleus. When that happens, you produce helium and throw off energy. Currently scientists at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) are trying to create a tiny pellet that will contain a few milligrams of deuterium and tritium, isotopes of hydrogen that can be extracted from water. If you blast the pellet with a powerful laser, you can create a reaction like the one that takes place at the center of the sun. Harness that reaction, and you’ve created a star on earth, and with the heat from that star you can generate electricity without creating any pollution. Scientists have been trying to produce energy with fusion for decades. So far, they keep failing. It’s not that fusion itself can’t be achieved. Fusion takes place in every hydrogen-bomb explosion. The trick is controlling fusion so that instead of a one-time blast you get a series of tiny, controllable explosions. The product that NIF is trying to build is called Laser Inertial Fusion Energy LIFE). If successful LIFE would produce energy with no carbon emissions, from a fuel that is cheap and abundant

04.11.2009

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Through its wholly-owned subsidiary Adira Energy Corp., an Ontario corporation, the Company explores for oil and gas in Israel in areas located on-shore in the Hula Valley, Northern Israel, 10km offshore between Netanya and Ashdod, and 17km offshore between Hadera and Netanya. The Company currently holds three petroleum exploration licenses, the Eitan, Gabriella and Yitzhak Licenses, covering an aggregate total of approximately 160,550 acres. Brownstone Ventures Inc a Canadian-based, TSX Venture Exchange listed, energy investment company, has the right, subject to certain conditions, to earn a 15% participating interest in the Company’s’ offshore blocks. The Yitzhak License area is centered approximately 17 km off the Israeli coast and stretches from Netanya in the South to Hadera in the North (about 11 km). The Yitzhak License covers a total license area of 127,700 Dunam (approximately – 127.7 square kilometers or 31,555 acres). The Yitzhak License is directly to the North of, and contiguous to the company’s Gabriella License. The license area is in shallow water with a depth of approximately 150 meters, which the Company believes will make drilling more cost efficient. The Yitzhak License has been granted for an initial period of three years commencing October 15, 2009. Stephen Pierce, AMG’s Senior Vice President of Geology, said: “During early 1970 an oil well located in the area covered by the Yitzhak License called “Delta-1” was drilled. The total depth of Delta-1 was 4423m, and ended in the Upper Jurassic. However, this depth is above the oil encountered in the Jurassic Bathonian age limestones in the Yam Yafo-1 (4894m – 4955m) and Yam-2 wells (5315m).

22.10.2009

As per the Israeli Gas Law-2002: the piping of natural gas at low pressure through pipelines. The system distributes gas at low pressure (less than 16 Bar).

According to the law, the distribution license holder is forbidden from carrying out any other activity besides the construction and operation of the distribution network. Nevertheless, another company – such as a sister company – of the distribution network licensee may deal in additional activities such as the marketing of natural gas. The law does not grant any benefit in the marketing of the gas to consumers by the distribution company and thus from the very first day the network will operate under the open access system.

According to the Natural Gas Authority the objectives of the distribution network licensee is to construct a distribution network according to his proposal in the tender and to link up consumers and/or marketers cum shippers at low pressure that request to be linked up. The connection of each network to the transmission system is via PRMS stations that the transmission licensee orders on behalf of each distribution network. The distribution licensee sets up link up facilities including reading meters for each consumer and takes a link-up tariff again in accordance with his proposal in the tender and is responsible for reading the meter.

It is incumbent upon the distribution licensee to provide information to the transmission licensee regarding the gas consumptions of his regional consumers. The information is to be sorted by marketer/shipper (taking into consideration that a consumer can be his own shipper) in order to facilitate the collection of the transmission tariff. Since the distribution licensee is responsible on the one hand for reading the meters and on the other hand he has the data regarding each consumer’s marketer/shipper, the transfer of consumption data sorted out by shippers will structure the relationships in the market place and facilitate matters for all players.

There is no business relationship between the distribution license holder and the natural gas supplier. The distribution network licensee can only know what is happening in his region whilst the marketer/shipper can operate in all the regions. It is the marketer/shipper and not the distribution licensee that is responsible to supply the gas to consumers.

Israel’s gas distribution system is divided into 6 regions. Each of the six regions is to be licensed to a regional licensee.

Negev region – Negev Natural Gas Company won the first tender in the Negev region, in Beer Sheva and Dead Sea area in February 2009 for a total investment of 80-100 million. The company is owned by Amisragas and Electra and Aharon Hamo. Company got a license for 25years and the main sector of this is due to be on line by 2016. The Magal company however will also continue to provide gas in the Arad region from the Zohar gas field.

Central Region – The Super Energy consortium which consists of 50% of Shapir Civil and Maritime Engineering Ltd. and 50% of Supergas, one of the Israeli LPG companies won in March 2009 the second natural gas distribution tender. The tender is to set up a distribution network in the center of Israel and is due to link up to the transmission system at the Reading Power Station and Nesher in the region of Ramle in order to supply consumers in the region of Ramle, Lod, Zrifin, the southern Dan Region and others. The project will cost a total of 250 million shekels to be invested over 8 years and the license is for 25 years and the main section of this is due to be on line by 2017

Southern region – South Natural Gas Company Ltd. (Drom Gaz Tivi) owned by Amisragas, Elco and Hamo-Aharon won the tender in November 2010 to construct the distribution network Ashkelon and Ashdod, Kiryat Gat, Kiryat Malachi (connecting at Zafit) and Shderot (connecting at the Lapidot Station). The license is for 25years at an estimated cost of 106 million. This tender is now being contested in court (2012)

Northern region – Two tenders are due to be published soon for the northern area which will be divided into two regions. The winner of the tender in the north will link up at the Hadera power station and the Hagit power station.

Jerusalem Area – INGL is promoting a transmission line in the Jerusalem area which will enable to publish a tender for a distribution network in the Jerusalem and surrounding areas in the future
The distribution licensee charges two different tariffs: a one-time connection tariff and a distribution tariff for the actual throughput of gas that the consumer is transmitting through the distribution network. The consumer will pay these two tariffs according to the category/size of consumer that he belongs to.

The tariff that a distribution licensee can ask for (not under clause 102 of the law) is based solely on an actual flow tariff (except for the connection tariff) based on the price submitted by the tender winner. Contrary to the transmission system, there is no throughput capacity charge, but payment is only for the actual amount of mmbtu’s distributed through the system.

For the construction of a distribution network and its operation, the distribution licensee can charge consumers/shippers a distribution tariff in accordance with the proposal put forward and accepted in his tender. The tariffs are solely for infrastructure services and do not include the price of the gas itself, which is paid by the consumer to the natural gas supplier according to a contract entered into between a willing buyer and a willing seller.

There are 4 different types of categories of distribution consumers: large consumers who consume over 1 million cubic meters per year; mid range consumers who consume between 100 thousand to 1 million per year; small consumers who consume between 10 thousand and a 100 thousand per year and very small who consume who consume up to 10 thousand a year (see table attached).

A consumer will be categorized at the outset of the first year based on his forecast of consumption and at the end of the year based on his actual past consumption.

In principle, all distribution pipelines will be composed of High Density Polyethylene pipe (HDPE). The pipeline connection points to the PRMS facilities will be of carbon steel that can withstand internal pressure of 80 bar and any place where the distribution network will have to cope with 16 bar pressure, there the pipes will all be composed of such identical carbon steel.

Low pressure distribution system – will be those sections of the distribution network that will operate at maximum pressure of 75 to 150 millibar (1 bar = 1,000 millibar). In those sections it is expected to supply natural gas to certain consumers or areas where it is not feasible to lay PE mains (Polyethylene pipes) at a pressure of 4 to 7 bar. These sections will thus receive natural gas from the low pressure network via the regional PRMS facilities (DPRS).

Every consumer of natural gas in Israel linked to a distribution network has to pay 5 different tariffs: distribution tariff, link up to the distribution network, actual flow tariff for the transmission system, capacity tariff for the transmission system (special simplified tariff for distribution consumers of the transmission system) and the natural gas price itself.

9th Dec 2012 – 4th & 5th
licenses of the 6 gas distribution regions have been approved by the NGA.

The company that won the tender for setting up and operating the gas distribution network in Hadera & the Valleys is SuperNG, the sister company of the gas distribution licensee in the central region which is owned by Supergas and Shapir Engineering. The company has pledged to invest some 218 million NIS in the distribution network within five years, of which 128 million NIS will be invested within three years. The Hadera & the Valleys area includes, among others, Netanya, Hadera, Zikhron Ya’akov, Migdal HaEmek, Afula, Nazareth, Tziporit industrial zone, Tirat HaCarmel and Emek HaMayanot.

The Haifa & Galilee area was won by Rimon Natural Gas, owned by Rimon Ltd. and the Mer Group, which has pledged to invest some 225 million NIS in the distribution network within seven years, of which over than 148 million NIS will be invested within three years.
The area includes, among others, Haifa, Haifa Bay and the Krayot, Nahariya, Ma’alot-Tarshiha, Akko, Karmiel, Kiryat Shmona, Tiberius, Rosh Pina, Safed, Katzrin and Zemach.

March 2014:

A distant consumer is defined as a medium consumer who consumes 100,000-1,000,000 m³ of gas per year and is located at least 3,000 m from the network, or a large consumer who consumes more than 1,000,000 m³ of gas per year and is located at least 6,000 m from the network. In both cases, the consumer’s annual turnover must not exceed 400 million shekels.
Consumers who consume 100,000-500,000 m³ of gas per year are eligible for a grant of up to 750,000 shekels; Consumers who consume 500,000-1,000,000 m³ per year are eligible for up to 500,000 shekels; and consumers who consume more than1,000,000 m³ per year are eligible for a up to 250,000 shekels. Grants will be subject to the board’s approval and budget limits.
In addition, distant consumers will be eligible for further aid for the additional connection tariff payment, amounting to 1 million shekels per 10 km.

Of the 120 million shekel budget, 116 million are still available. 10.3 million shekels have been allocated to the Negev, 13.3 million to the south, 22.7 million to the center, 11 million to Jerusalem, 21 million to Hadera & the valleys, 22.2 million to Haifa, the Galilee and the Golan, 14.5 million to distant consumers, and 1 million has been kept as a reserve.

15.09.2009

Egyptian natural gas companies

11.09.2009

ISES has been serving the needs of the renewable energy community since its founding in 1954. A UN-accredited NGO present in more than 50 countries, the Society supports its members in the advancement of renewable energy technology, implementation and education all over the world. Goals of the Society include: Encouraging the use of renewable energy; Bringing together industries, individuals and institutions in support of Renewable Energy technologies – through communication, co-operation, support and exchange; Applying practical projects, technology transfer, education, training and support to the issue of global energy development; Stimulating and encouraging both fundamental and applied research in solar energy; Ensuring individual and community growth through support of private enterprise and empowerment in the area of Renewable Energy; Rapid access to information through tailor-made communication and exchange platforms utilising modern technology.

10.09.2009

Disintegration of atomic nuclei resulting in the emission of alpha or beta particles (usually with gamma radiation). Also the exponential decrease in radioactivity of a material as nuclear disintegrations take place and more stable nuclei are formed.

In September 2009 Delek and Noble started to carry out 3D surveys in their license called whale/Leviathan.

The rights in the Leviathan license are held by Noble (39.66%), Delek Drilling and Avner (22.67% each) and Ratio (15%). Ratio is controlled by the Rothlevy and Landau families (70%) with the remaining shares held by the public. The license covers a 2,000 square km area in the sea approximately 135 km west of Haifa and at a water depth of 1,634 meters. Seismic survey at the cost of $2.25 million took place at the end of 2009.

The main target at the Leviathan structure is located at a depth of 5,095 meters including the water depth.

On 3rd June 2010 Noble came out with the preliminary results from processing and interpretation of the three dimensional seismic survey and announced that the preliminary findings from the processing and interpretation of the three dimensional seismic survey (3D), carried out on licenses “Amit”, “Rachel” and parts of the “Hannah”, “David” and “Eran Licenses (hereinafter: “Ratio Yam”) and the licenses “Alon A” and “Alon B”.

Noble initially focused on initial processing and interpretation of the seismic data covering the “Leviathan” prospect found in tertiary layers of sand (corresponding to the reservoir sands identified in Tamar (the “tertiary sands”)) contained in the licenses “Rachel” and “Amit”. Noble estimates, on the basis of the above information, that the gross mean recoverable resource of natural gas in the prospect is about 16 TCF (about 453 BCM), and that the probability of Geologic Success is 50% .

In addition, Noble said to the Partnership that on the basis of the 2D and/or 3D seismic data, they have identified additional tertiary prospects in other licenses, in which the Partnership owns rights and operates in a joint venture together with Noble, and including in the area of Block 12 in Cyprus (“Additional Prospects”). Noble estimates that the unrisked gross mean resource potential of the Leviathan prospect, the Other Ratio Prospects and the Additional Prospects amounts to more than 30 TCF (about 850 BCM). This estimate does not calculate the geological probability of finding hydrocarbons within these prospects.

The Sedco Express drilling rig arrived at the Leviathan structure on 12th October and will be replaced in January by the Pride North America rig, which has deeper drilling ability as indeed the surveys showed that under the natural gas there are two potential targets for oil drilling which the Sedco Express cannot reach. In addition, the Pride North America costs $275,000 per day, about half the cost of the Sedco Express because it was leased at an opportune time, with a moratorium on deep water drilling in the Gulf of Mexico in the wake of the BP oil spill disaster. The two deeper layers consist of 5,800 meters that has 17% chance of success of containing 3 billion barrels of oil and the second at 7,200 meters that has an 8% chance of containing 1.2 billion barrels of oil.

October 18, 2010 Delek Drilling and Avner published report that Noble the operator of the exploration licenses Ratio Yam (Rachel, Amit, Hannah, David and Eran) announced to that the drill rig Sedco Express arrived at the drill-site of Leviathan-1 in the Rachel license and began drilling (spudded the well on 17th Oct in the afternoon). Leviathan-1 is planned under the drilling of the Rachel license, at about 135 kilometers west of Haifa in deep water of approximately 1,634 meters. Drilling is planned to drill for three targets and to a final depth of 7,200 meters (including water depth) and is expected to take approximately five months.

Drilling started on 18th October. Td is at 5,095 m including water depth of 1,634 m. This layer is called NG10 and is located in Tertiary Oligo-miocene sands similar to the sand layer of Tamar. This layer is bound by two additional reservoir rock layers that also represent target layers for possible gas deposits: between the upper layer SAND-A and the lower layer SAND-C there is the main NG10 layer.

November 29, 2010, Noble Energy Mediterranean informed the partners that the drill has penetrated the primary target (NG10 prospect). From the initial analysis of the information gathered while drilling, it seems that the primary target has natural gas bearing sands. It shall be noted that at this stage, all information is based on initial indications only, and, as of yet, no determination can be made as to the size and/or quality and/or the commercial viability of the reservoir. It is planned that the drilling operations of the well shall continue within the primary target and that different tests shall be performed, including electrical logs. After the completion of the logs, that may take approximately two weeks, and updated notice will be given.

December 29, 2010 – from Noble Website – Noble Energy announced a significant natural gas discovery at the Leviathan exploration prospect. Drilled in the Rachel license, the well encountered a minimum of 220 feet (67 meters) of net natural gas pay in several subsalt Miocene intervals. Apparent reservoir quality is very good, and the intervals discovered are geologically similar to those intersected at Tamar.

Leviathan-1, located in approximately 5,400 feet (1,645 meters) of water, is about 80 miles (130 kilometers) offshore of Haifa and 29 miles (47 kilometers) southwest of the Tamar discovery. The results from the well confirm the pre-drill estimated resource range, with a gross mean for Leviathan of 16 trillion cubic feet (450 billion cubic meters). The Leviathan field is estimated to cover approximately 125 square miles (325 square kilometers) and, as a result of its size, will require two or more appraisal wells to further define total gas resources.

Drilling at Leviathan-1 will continue to a planned total depth of 23,600 feet (7,200 meters) to evaluate two additional intervals. Current well depth is 16,960 feet (5,170 meters). Results from the deeper tests, which have a low chance of success, are expected over the next coup.

9th March 2011 TASE announcement that Leviathan 1 will cost closer to $190 million and not $150 due to two months extension in work program mainly due to need for more stringent HSSE regulations and technical issues.

On same day, Leviathan 2 drilling – Leviathan fields extends over very large surface of 325 sq km and thus the need to carry out 2 appraisal wells or more in order to continue and estimate the scope of the natural gas reserves in the main target area NG10. In light of the above, it was decided to carry out Leviathan 2 appraisal well planned in the Amit license at a distance of about 14 km from Leviathan 1 to a depth of 5,400 meters including water deph of 1,700 m with the Pride North America which is due to start in a week and to last 3 weeks and cost a total of $70 million. The budget and time for the drilling do not include production testing if such should be decided and if yes they will last another 2-3 weeks at a cost of $34 million. It is hereby clarified that Leviathan 2 well was planned as said originally as an appraisal well for NG10 only and therefore it should not be influenced by the results of Leviathan 1 to the deeper secondary target layers.

On 21st March 2011, the Israeli partners in the Leviathan well report that their US partner, Noble Energy informed them yesterday that the Pride North America rig has begun drilling the Leviathan 2 well at the Amit license.

Netherland Sewell & Associates estimated on 29th March 2011 that the gross 100% contingent gas resources in Leviathan based on the PRMS guidelines and classified as development pending and are contingent upon project sanctioning that includes an approved development plan and reasonable expectations for gas sales are low estimate (1C) of 10.54 tcf, best estimate (2C) 15.89 tcf and high estimate (3C) 21.07 tcf

Delek Drilling 2010 Report Leviathan 1C 321 bcm and 3C 596.95 bcm.

15th May 2011 – Delek, Avner, Ratio TASE announcement re Leviathan 2 drilling that Noble informed them that they decided to stop the drilling operations on Leviathan 2 and to carry out an alternative appraisal drilling at an adjacent location. The Leviathan 2 drilling reached a depth of about 4,570 meters, hundreds of meters above the target depth (NG-10). During the course of the drilling a flow of water was found in the wellhead behind the casing pipe on the sea bed. The operator estimates, the alternative drilling is expected to start within a month and to last 3 months for a total estimated cost (100%) of about $70 million. The accumulative cost of the Leviathan 2 drilling to date is about $42 million.

The well started on the 15th March of this year and was stopped on the 8th May 2011 at a depth of 4,548 meters due to the leakage of water in the well. On 14th May Noble informed the MNI of the reason of the incident and stopped drilling. According to Noble’s report, it stemmed from the lack of carrying out all the technical issues required in the cementing during the process of inserting the drilling pipes. On the 26th May the Petroleum Commissioner sent Noble a letter in which he ordered them to stop their plans to carry out another well in Leviathan and the continuation of operations will now depend on the results of the analysis of the incident that occurred in the drilling of Leviathan 2 and getting the approval of the Petroleum Commissioner after he has examined their detailed report

Noble Energy informed its partners that on 24.6.2011 it has started to drill Leviathan 3 with the Pride North America and that L-3 is an appraisal well to replace Leviathan 2 that was stopped and will be carried out about 4.4 km from L-2 and about 9.6 km from Leviathan 1. Drilling will be down to a depth of about 5,300 m including water depth of 1,670 m and is expected to last for about 3 months at a total (100%) estimated cost of $70 million. This estimated budget and timetable do not include the production tests if these are to take place which will last about 2-3 weeks at an estimated budget of $34 million (100%)

3rd July 2011 – Drilling of L-3 had stopped at the stated depth of 2,600 m after problems were encountered with the BOP. Leviathan 3 is located 4.4 km from Leviathan 2 that was stopped and at 9.6 km from Leviathan 1.

When L-3 will be completed the Pride is due to go back to L-1 to drill down to strata that have not yet been drilled to with results due by end of 2011

Significant Dates in Leviathan:

18.1.2010 – Spudding of Leviathan 1
20.12.2010 – Discovery announced
9.3.2011 – Stopped drilling of Leviathan 1 towards the oil strata due to technical problems with Sedco Express. Well will be resumed with Homer Ferrington end of 2011 after block 12 has been drilled in Cyprus
20.3.2011 – Started appraisal Leviathan 2 and drilled down to 5300 m
15.5.2011 – Stopped drilling of Leviathan 2 due to water penetration
24.6.2011 – Leviathan 3 re-started
3.7.2011 – Leviathan 3 stopped ue to problems with BoP
9.10.2011 – Sedco express rig in position at Leviathan 3 – appraisal well that will serve as production well in the future. Results due in November

09.09.2009

The man who drilled the first oil well in American in 1859. On August 27th, 1859 former railroad conductor Edwin Drake struck oil. Using techniques used in drilling salt wells, Drake had drilled down sixty nine feet on a patch of land in Titusville, Pennsylvania. He produced a steady flow of twenty five barrels of oil per day. Drake began marketing his oil for heating and lighting.

04.09.2009

A valve located on the side of a Christmas tree or temporary surface flow equipment, such as may be used for a drillstem test. Two wing valves are generally fitted to a Christmas tree. A flowing wing valve is used to control and isolate production, and the kill wing valve (KWV) fitted on the opposite side of the Christmas tree is available for treatment or well-control purposes. The term wing valve typically is used when referring to the flowing wing

A mass of absorbing material (e.g. thick concrete walls) placed around a reactor or radioactive material to reduce the radiation (especially neutrons and gamma rays respectively) to a level safe for humans.