Zappa Resources (tsx.v:zpa) Rides Coat Tails to Potential Permian Reef Oil Discovery

April 15, 2007premium of 15% to earn 10%. Through this partnership
Zappa Resources (TSX.V:ZPA) is a junior resourceZappa can operate in an environment with excellent
company with projects in Canada, the U.S. and now,potential like Tunisia, which would otherwise be out of
Tunisia. Early in March 2007, Zappa signed a letter ofrange for a junior company.”
intent to enter into a “farm-in participationAccording to Gerry, who believes in capitalizing on
agreement” with Pennine Petroleum on the Jorfsound economic opportunities, Tunisia is home to
concession petroleum property in Tunisia. Thesubstantial known oil and gas reserves, and perfectly
opportunity, says Albert Gerry, President and CEO,suits Zappa’s exploration philosophy. “Tunisia is
has “large elephant” potential that has caughtrelatively hot in oil and gas market exploration field.
the enthusiasm of the investing public and propelledIt’s gone from an insignificant amount of [known] oil
Zappa’s stock, which was at less than ten cents aand gas to a significant amount, in a very short period
share in February, up to twenty-two cents a shareof time because the country was overlooked. [In the
today.past] there were known oil fields in Algeria and Libya
The deal involved Zappa paying US $250,000 upfronton either side [of Tunisia], and there was incentive to
to pay for its share of a seismic program, while payingexplore in those countries. The Tunisian Ministry of oil
for 15% of drilling and developing costs. In return, Zappaand gas exploration (ETAP) developed a strategic plan
receives 10% working interest in the first identifiedand the country has attracted many foreign oil
drillable structure on the Jorf permit, and has the optioncompanies.” According to Gerry, the Tunisian
of farming in on any subsequent drillable structuresgovernment is actively looking to partner with
under the same terms. The permit, which includessuccessful oil companies who find oil in their country.
989,267 acres in south central Tunisia, is held byAlso important is the pipeline that already crosses the
Cygam Energy Inc. of Alberta under its subsidiaryJorf permit, so if Zappa does hit the operator can tap
company, Rigo Oil Company Ltd., which is the operatorinto the pipeline to bring their oil and gas to market. The
out of Tunisia.existing pipelines have the capacity to transport oil to
Relying on analysis from Chapman Petroleumtankers or utilize the TransMed to deliver into the
Engineers, Gerry explains “why this particular oilEuropean market.
target is so exciting is the Permian Reef. There areGerry says that the Tunisia property is possibly an
only two other Permian Reefs that are known in theenormous reserve worth a large amount of money,
world and both of them are now producing oil andbut costs are the same to develop as a smaller
have a great, great reserve. They’re both in thereserve. Zappa is confident that they have the
billion barrel reserve category. So, this may be anotherexpertise and connections to raise enough money to
one. The reef itself is about 1000m thick in places.”stay put in Tunisia if necessary, so they might as well
He is referring to reefs in the West Texan Basin andput their money toward something big. Gerry explains,
the northern Caspian fields in Khazakhstan, both of“You can spend the same amount of money on a
which represent very large oil reserves.reserve that produces a hundred barrels a day and
Getting into the new Tunisian oil exploration markethas a total reserve of two or three million barrels. The
was a boon for Zappa. “What we do is we rideJorf permit could have half a billion barrels or more.”
the coattails of an experienced company that’sGerry hopes that this is the kind of opportunity that
already been there. Through an introduction bycreates a company overnight. He says Zappa will
Pennine, we partner with Cygam and their Tunisianknow more by the end of July once they’ve
operating company Rigo. It saves a lot of time andstarted drilling. With that kind of potential we can see
money to have these relationships and we pay awhy he talks in terms of elephants.