Oil has been discovered near the Negev town of Arad and checks are now going on to determine the quality of the find and the size of the potential oil field Since the discovery at the beginning of the week, several hundred barrels a day have been collected. Workers at the site had to halt the flow yesterday because all the available storage places were filled.
Experts checking the site have expressed optimism that the quantity of the oil will increase and the quality will improve. They said the find, even if it did not prove commercially worthwhile, would have a positive effect on the continued search for oil in the Negev. Energy Ministry officials, however, were more reserved in their reactions to the find. They said that it would take about two months before it could determine whether the find has commercial value.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
