The first American crew to start oil drilling operations in Israel will leave for the Jewish State this Friday, it was announced at a press conference here today by Abraham Dickenstein, president of the Ampal American Palestine Trading Corporation.
Mr. Dickenstein said that the actual drilling operations will start immediately upon the arrival of the crew in Israel. The drilling will begin on one of the sites where the Ampal-financed “Lapidoth Israel Petroleum Company” has acquired licenses covering about 500,000 acres of leases.
“Lapidoth-Israel Petroleum Company has signed an agreement with the Kerr-McGee Oil Industries Inc. of Oklahoma City as exclusive drilling contractors for Lapidoth,” Mr. Dickenstein reported. “Kerr-McGee will send to Israel about 20 of their American field personnel and a drilling superintendent. An important feature of the contract provides for the gradual training of Israelis and eventual replacement crews. The offices of Kerr-McGee will be available for expert technical advice during operations in Israel.”
Senator Robert S. Kerr, of Oklahoma, president of Kerr-McGee, speaking at the press conference, pledged his organization’s complete cooperation in making this venture a successful one. “We are confident,” Senator Kerr said, “that oil will be found in Israel and hope that we can drill the country’s first discovery.”
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