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  | isbn    = 9780891813866

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Petroleum has been exploited in the area of Israel since times of antiquity.<ref name=Nissenbaum_1978>Nissenbaum, A., 1978, [http://archives.datapages.com/data/bulletns/1977-79/data/pg/0062/0005/0800/0837.htm The Dead Sea asphalts - Historical aspects]: AAPG Bulletin, v. 62, p. 837–844.</ref> Remains of asphalt collected along the Dead Sea shore were identified in Egyptian mummies dated to about 200 B.C.<ref name=Rullk&ouml;tterandnissenbaum_1988>Rullk&ouml;tter, J. and A. Nissenbaum, 1988, Dead Sea asphalt in Egyptian mummies: Molecular evidence: Naturwissenschaften, v. 75, p. 618–621.</ref> Modern commercial exploitation of hydrocarbons began in the 1950s with the discovery of the Helez oil field in the southern Coastal Plain of Israel ([[:file:M106Ch06Fig02.jpg|Figure 1]]). The Helez success promoted drilling activity throughout the country, but until the 1990s only small quantities of oil and gas had been discovered and produced. In 1999 the focus of exploration was shifted from the onshore systems to the Levantine Basin ([[:file:M106Ch06Fig02.jpg|Figure 1]]). In the following decade, 11 natural gas fields were discovered offshore Israel in water depths ranging from 200–1600 m (656–5249 ft). One of them, the MariB field ([[:file:M106Ch06Fig02.jpg|Figure 1]]), began production in 2004 and the Tamar field in 2013.

[[Petroleum]] has been exploited in the area of Israel since times of antiquity.<ref name=Nissenbaum_1978>Nissenbaum, A., 1978, [http://archives.datapages.com/data/bulletns/1977-79/data/pg/0062/0005/0800/0837.htm The Dead Sea asphalts - Historical aspects]: AAPG Bulletin, v. 62, p. 837–844.</ref> Remains of asphalt collected along the Dead Sea shore were identified in Egyptian mummies dated to about 200 B.C.<ref name=Rullk&ouml;tterandnissenbaum_1988>Rullk&ouml;tter, J. and A. Nissenbaum, 1988, Dead Sea asphalt in Egyptian mummies: Molecular evidence: Naturwissenschaften, v. 75, p. 618–621.</ref> Modern commercial exploitation of [[hydrocarbon]]s began in the 1950s with the discovery of the Helez oil field in the southern Coastal Plain of Israel ([[:file:M106Ch06Fig02.jpg|Figure 1]]). The Helez success promoted drilling activity throughout the country, but until the 1990s only small quantities of oil and gas had been discovered and produced. In 1999 the focus of exploration was shifted from the onshore systems to the Levantine Basin ([[:file:M106Ch06Fig02.jpg|Figure 1]]). In the following decade, 11 natural gas fields were discovered offshore Israel in water depths ranging from 200–1600 m (656–5249 ft). One of them, the MariB field ([[:file:M106Ch06Fig02.jpg|Figure 1]]), began production in 2004 and the Tamar field in 2013.

<gallery mode=packed heights=400px widths4300px>

<gallery mode=packed heights=400px widths4300px>

! Age || Field or Show # (show=*) || Field or Show Name || Petroleum System || Year of Discovery || Reservoir Name or Formation || Reservoir Type || Hydrocarbon Type || Trap Type || Source Rock || Seal Rock || Produced by 2001 (MMBO &/or BCFG) || Recoverable Resources (MMBO &/or BCFG)

! Age || Field or Show # (show=*) || Field or Show Name || Petroleum System || Year of Discovery || Reservoir Name or Formation || Reservoir Type || Hydrocarbon Type || Trap Type || Source Rock || Seal Rock || Produced by 2001 (MMBO &/or BCFG) || Recoverable Resources (MMBO &/or BCFG)

|-

|-

| Quaternary || 27 || Hula || Hula || 1991 || Huyla Sand || Continental sandstone, coal || Gas || Structural/stratigraphic || Hula Formation || Hula marl || 0.01 || 0.2

| Quaternary || 27 || Hula || Hula || 1991 || Huyla Sand || Continental [[sandstone]], [[coal]] || Gas || [[Structural]]/[[stratigraphic]] || Hula Formation || Hula marl || 0.01 || 0.2

|-

|-

|    || 26 || Ashdod Gas || Yafo || 1976 || Kurkar Yafo || calcarenite || Gas || Stratigraphic || Saqiye Group || Saqiye Group || 0.37 || 1.5

|    || 26 || Ashdod Gas || Yafo || 1976 || Kurkar Yafo || calcarenite || Gas || Stratigraphic || Saqiye Group || Saqiye Group || 0.37 || 1.5

|-

|-

| Pliocene || 25 || Gaza Marine || Yafo || 2000 || Yafo Sand || Turbidite sandstone || Gas || Stratigraphic || Saqiye Group || Yafo shale || U.F. || 1200

| Pliocene || 25 || Gaza Marine || Yafo || 2000 || Yafo Sand || [[Turbidite]] sandstone || Gas || Stratigraphic || Saqiye Group || Yafo shale || U.F. || 1200

|-

|-

|    || 24 || Nir || Yafo || 2000 || Yafo Sand || Turbidite sandstone || Gas || Structural/stratigraphic || Saqiye Group || Yafo shale || U.F. || 4

|    || 24 || Nir || Yafo || 2000 || Yafo Sand || Turbidite sandstone || Gas || Structural/stratigraphic || Saqiye Group || Yafo shale || U.F. || 4

|  || 13* || Amiaz || Dead Sea || 1990 || Hazeva Sand || Continental sandstone || Heavy oil || Structural || Mt. Scopus Group || Sedom Evaporites ||  ||   

|  || 13* || Amiaz || Dead Sea || 1990 || Hazeva Sand || Continental sandstone || Heavy oil || Structural || Mt. Scopus Group || Sedom Evaporites ||  ||   

|-

|-

| Late Cretaceous || 12 || Sadot || Yafo || 1977 || Judea || Shelf carbonate || Gas || Structural || Saqiye Group || Saqiye Shale || &ndash;30 || &ndash;30

| Late Cretaceous || 12 || Sadot || Yafo || 1977 || Judea || Shelf [[carbonate]] || Gas || Structural || Saqiye Group || Saqiye Shale || &ndash;30 || &ndash;30

|-

|-

|  || 7* || Yam || Yam || 1989 || Gevaram Sand || Turbidite sandstone || Gas || Structural || Unknown || Gevaram shale ||  ||   

|  || 7* || Yam || Yam || 1989 || Gevaram Sand || Turbidite sandstone || Gas || Structural || Unknown || Gevaram shale ||  ||   

|}

|}

The 60-year-old story of Israel’s petroleum industry is one of many rises and falls. Periods of drilling success were followed by dry wells and suspension of exploration activity, at times influenced by geopolitical instability, unfavorable fiscal regime, and lack of capital investment. Once government owned, the three Israeli oil companies, INOC (Israel National Oil Company), Naphta, and the Lapidoth Oil Prospectors, were fully privatized during the 1990s.

The 60-year-old story of Israel’s petroleum industry is one of many rises and falls. Periods of drilling success were followed by [[dry well]]s and suspension of exploration activity, at times influenced by geopolitical instability, unfavorable fiscal regime, and lack of capital investment. Once government owned, the three Israeli oil companies, INOC (Israel National Oil Company), Naphta, and the Lapidoth Oil Prospectors, were fully privatized during the 1990s.

The recent, offshore drilling success has attracted major capital investment and has resulted in a surge of exploration activity ([[:file:M106Ch06Fig03.jpg|Figure 2]]) with the participation of internationally based oil companies. In the coming decade new targets will be drilled in the Levantine Basin offshore Israel which may lead to an increase in gas reserves and possibly prove the potential for the production of oil, previously discovered in several offshore wells ([[:file:M106Ch06Fig02.jpg|Figure 1]]). For the first time in its history, Israel has the prospect of supplying its own energy needs and even becoming an exporter of natural gas.

The recent, offshore drilling success has attracted major capital investment and has resulted in a surge of exploration activity ([[:file:M106Ch06Fig03.jpg|Figure 2]]) with the participation of internationally based oil companies. In the coming decade new targets will be drilled in the Levantine Basin offshore Israel which may lead to an increase in gas reserves and possibly prove the potential for the production of oil, previously discovered in several offshore wells ([[:file:M106Ch06Fig02.jpg|Figure 1]]). For the first time in its history, Israel has the prospect of supplying its own energy needs and even becoming an exporter of natural gas.