Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Note 2 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

A. Financial Statements in United States Dollars

The currency of the primary economic environment in which the operations of the Company are conducted is the United States dollar ("dollar"). Therefore, the dollar has been determined to be the Company's functional currency. Non-dollar transactions and balances have been translated into dollars in accordance with the principles set forth in Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 830 "Foreign Currency Matters." Transactions in foreign currency (primarily in New Israeli Shekels – "NIS") are recorded at the exchange rate as of the transaction date. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currency are translated on the basis of the representative rate of exchange at the balance sheet date. Non-monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currency are stated at historical exchange rates. All exchange gains and losses from re-measurement of monetary balance sheet items denominated in non-dollar currencies are reflected in the statement of operations as they arise.

B. Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company maintains cash balances with six banks, of which three banks are located in the United States, one in the United Kingdom, and two in Israel. For purposes of the statement of cash flows and balance sheet, the Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. At times, the Company maintains deposits in financial institutions in excess of federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts and does not believe it is exposed to any significant credit risk on cash.

C. Fixed Short-Term Time Deposits

Interest bearing deposits for a period which exceeds three months but not more than 12 months and are not restricted are classified as Fixed Short-Term time deposits.

D. Fixed Long-Term Time Deposits

Interest bearing deposits for a period which exceeds 12 months and are not restricted are classified as Fixed Long-Term time deposits.

E. Oil and Gas Properties and Impairment

The Company follows the full-cost method of accounting for oil and gas properties. Accordingly, all costs associated with acquisition, exploration and development of oil and gas reserves, including directly related overhead costs, are capitalized.

All capitalized costs of oil and gas properties, including the estimated future costs to develop proved reserves, are amortized on the unit-of-production method using estimates of proved reserves. Investments in unproved properties and major development projects are not amortized until proved reserves associated with the projects can be determined or until impairment occurs. If the results of an assessment indicate that the properties are impaired, the amount of the impairment is included in loss from continuing operations before income taxes, and the adjusted carrying amount of the proved properties is amortized on the unit-of-production method.

The Company's oil and gas property represents an investment in unproved properties. These costs are excluded from the amortized cost pool until proved reserves are found or until it is determined that the costs are impaired. All costs excluded are reviewed at least quarterly to determine if impairment has occurred. The amount of any impairment is charged to expense since a reserve base has not yet been established. Impairment requiring a charge to expense may be indicated through evaluation of drilling results, relinquishing drilling rights or other information.

During the fourth quarter of 2018, the Company testing protocol was concluded at the MJL well. The test results confirmed that the MJ #1 well did not contain hydrocarbons in commercial quantities in the zones tested. As a result, in the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company recorded a non-cash impairment charge to its unproved oil and gas properties of $30,906,000. The Company recorded a post-impairment charge of $314,000 for the year ended December 31, 2019. During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company did not record any post-impairment charges (see Note 4).

Currently, the Company has no economically recoverable reserves and no amortization base. The Company's unproved oil and gas properties consist of capitalized exploration costs of $10,637,000 and $6,714,000 as of December 31, 2019, and 2018, respectively.

F. Property and Equipment

Property and equipment other than oil and gas property and equipment is recorded at cost and depreciated by the straight-line method over its estimated useful life of 3 to 14 years. Depreciation charged to expense amounted to $49,000, and $56,000 for the years ended December 31, 2019, and 2018, respectively.

G. Assets Held for Severance Benefits

Assets held for employee severance benefits represent contributions to severance pay funds and insurance policies that are recorded at their current redemption value.

H. Use of Estimates

The preparation of the accompanying financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions about future events. These estimates and the underlying assumptions affect the amounts of assets and liabilities reported, disclosures about contingent assets and liabilities, and reported amounts of expenses. Such estimates include the valuation of unproved oil and gas properties, asset retirement obligations and legal contingencies. These estimates and assumptions are based on management's best estimates and judgment. Management evaluates its estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis using historical experience and other factors, including the current economic environment, which management believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. The Company adjusts such estimates and assumptions when facts and circumstances dictate. Illiquid credit markets, volatile equity, foreign currency, and energy markets have combined to increase the uncertainty inherent in such estimates and assumptions. As future events and their effects cannot be determined with precision, actual results could differ significantly from these estimates. Changes in those estimates resulting from continuing changes in the economic environment will be reflected in the financial statements in future periods.

I. Income Taxes

Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carry forwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled (see Note 9). The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in the statements of operations in the period that includes the enactment date.

Based on Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 740-10-25-6 "Income Taxes," the Company recognizes the effect of income tax positions only if those positions are more likely than not of being sustained. Recognized income tax positions are measured at the largest amount that is greater than 50% likely of being realized. Changes in recognition or measurement are reflected in the period in which the change in judgment occurs. The Company accounts for interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits, if and when required, as part of income tax expense in the statements of operations. No liability for unrecognized tax benefits was recognized as of December 31, 2019, and 2018.

J. Environmental Costs and Loss Contingencies

Liabilities for loss contingencies, including environmental remediation costs not within the scope of Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) ASC Subtopic 410-20, Asset Retirement Obligations and Environmental Obligations – Asset Retirement Obligations, arising from claims, assessments, litigation, fines, and penalties and other sources, are recorded when probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the assessment and/or remediation can be reasonably estimated. Legal costs incurred in connection with loss contingencies are expensed as incurred. Recoveries of environmental remediation costs from third parties that are probable of realization are separately recorded as assets, and are not offset against the related environmental liability.

Accruals for estimated losses from environmental remediation obligations generally are recognized no later than completion of the remedial feasibility study. Such accruals are adjusted as further information develops or circumstances change. Costs of expected future expenditures for environmental remediation obligations are not discounted to their present value.

K. Asset Retirement Obligation

Obligations for dismantlement, restoration and removal of facilities and tangible equipment at the end of oil and gas property's useful life are recorded based on the estimate of the fair value of the liabilities in the period in which the obligation is incurred. This requires the use of management's estimates with respect to future abandonment costs, inflation, market risk premiums, useful life and cost of capital. The estimate of asset retirement obligations does not give consideration to the value the related assets could have to other parties. The obligation is recorded if sufficient information about the timing and (or) method of settlement is available to reasonably estimate fair value (see Note 11C).

L. Net Loss per Share Data

Basic and diluted net loss per share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share ("Common Stock") is presented in conformity with ASC 260-10 "Earnings Per Share." Diluted net loss per share is the same as basic net loss per share as the inclusion of 9,884,762 and 9,262,138 Common Stock equivalents in 2019, and 2018 respectively, would be anti-dilutive.

M. Stock Based Compensation

ASC 718, "Compensation – Stock Compensation," prescribes accounting and reporting standards for all share-based payment transactions in which employee services are acquired. Transactions include incurring liabilities, or issuing or offering to issue shares, options, and other equity instruments such as employee stock ownership plans and stock appreciation rights. Share-based payments to employees, including grants of employee stock options, are recognized as compensation expense in the financial statements based on their fair values. That expense is recognized over the period during which an employee is required to provide services in exchange for the award, known as the requisite service period (usually the vesting period).

The Company accounts for stock-based compensation issued to non-employees and consultants in accordance with the provisions of ASC 505-50, "Equity – Based Payments to Non-Employees." Measurement of share-based payment transactions with non-employees is based on the fair value of whichever is more reliably measurable: (a) the goods or services received; or (b) the equity instruments issued. The fair value of the share-based payment transaction is determined at the earlier of performance commitment date or performance completion date.

N. Fair Value Measurements

The Company follows Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 820, "Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures," as amended by Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Financial Staff Position (FSP) No. 157 and related guidance. Those provisions relate to the Company's financial assets and liabilities carried at fair value and the fair value disclosures related to financial assets and liabilities. ASC 820 defines fair value, expands related disclosure requirements, and specifies a hierarchy of valuation techniques based on the nature of the inputs used to develop the fair value measures. Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date, assuming the transaction occurs in the principal or most advantageous market for that asset or liability.

The Company uses a three-tier fair value hierarchy to classify and disclose all assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis, as well as assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis, in periods subsequent to their initial measurement. The hierarchy requires the Company to use observable inputs when available, and to minimize the use of unobservable inputs, when determining fair value. The three tiers are defined as follows:

● Level 1—Observable inputs that reflect quoted market prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets;

● Level 2—Observable inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are observable either directly or indirectly in the marketplace for identical or similar assets and liabilities; and

● Level 3—Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market data, which require the Company to develop its own assumptions.

The Company's financial instruments, including cash and cash equivalents, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, are carried at historical cost. At December 31, 2019 and 2018, the carrying amounts of these instruments approximated their fair values because of the short-term nature of these instruments. Derivative instruments are carried at fair value, generally estimated using the Binomial Model. 

O. Derivative Liabilities

In accordance with ASC 815-40-25 and ASC 815-10-15 Derivatives and Hedging and ASC 480-10-25 Liabilities-Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity, the embedded derivatives associated with the Convertible Bonds are accounted for as a liability during the term of the related Convertible Bonds (see Note 8).

P. Warrants

In connection with DSPP financing arrangements, the Company has issued warrants to purchase shares of its common stock. The outstanding warrants are standalone instruments that are not puttable or mandatorily redeemable by the holder and are classified as equity awards. The Company measures the fair value of the awards using the Black-Scholes option pricing model as of the measurement date. Warrants issued in conjunction with the issuance of common stock are initially recorded and accounted as a part of the DSPP investment as additional paid-in capital of the common stock issued. All other warrants are recorded at fair value and expensed over the requisite service period or at the date of issuance, if there is not a service period. Warrants granted in connection with ongoing arrangements are more fully described in Note 6, Stockholders' Equity.

Q. Related parties

Parties are considered to be related to the Company if the parties, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, control, are controlled by, or are under common control with the Company. Related parties also include principal owners of the Company, its management, members of the immediate families of principal owners of the Company and its management and other parties with which the Company may deal if one party controls or can significantly influence the management or operating policies of the other to an extent that one of the transacting parties might be prevented from fully pursuing its own separate interests. All transactions with related parties are recorded at fair value of the goods or services exchanged. Zion did not have any related party transactions for the fiscal years ending December 2019 and 2018, respectively, with the exception of recurring monthly consulting fees paid to certain management personnel.

R. Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

ASU 2016-02 and ASU 2018-01 – Leases (Topic 842)

In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) ("ASU 2016-02") in order to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet for those leases classified as operating leases under previous GAAP. ASU 2016-02 requires that a lessee should recognize a liability to make lease payments (the lease liability) and a right-of-use asset representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term on the balance sheet. ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 (including interim periods within those periods) using a modified retrospective approach and early adoption is permitted. Zion adopted ASU 2016-02 in the first quarter of 2019. Presently, Zion has operating leases for office space in Dallas, Texas and in Caesarea, Israel plus various leases for motor vehicles. These leases have been accounted for under ASU 2016-02 in 2019 by establishing a right-of-use asset and a corresponding current lease liability and non-current lease liability. Zion is not subject to any loan covenants and therefore, the increase in assets and liabilities does not have a material impact on its business.

In January 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-01, "Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to "Topic 842."

The amendments in this Update provide an optional transition practical expedient to not evaluate under Topic 842 existing or expired land easements that were not previously accounted for as leases under Topic 840, Leases. An entity that elects this practical expedient should evaluate new or modified land easements under Topic 842 beginning at the date that the entity adopts Topic 842. An entity that does not elect this practical expedient should evaluate all existing or expired land easements in connection with the adoption of the new lease requirements in Topic 842 to assess whether they meet the definition of a lease. The Company does not have any land easements and believes that this ASU 2018-01 has no effect on the Company.

ASU 2018-07

In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-07, Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which simplifies the accounting for share-based payments to nonemployees by aligning it with the accounting for share-based payments to employees, with certain exceptions. ASU 2018-07 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of ASU 2018-07 did not have any impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

ASU 2016-15 and ASU 2016-08 – Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230)

In August 2016, the FASB issued AS 2016-15, "Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments", which clarifies how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. The effective date for ASU 2016-15 is for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2016-15 on our financial statements.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230) ("ASU 2016-18"), which requires that restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total cash amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. The effective date for ASU 2016-18 is for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. We adopted ASU 2016-18 effective January 1, 2018. The adoption of ASU 2016-18 had no impact on our retained earnings, and no impact to our net income on an ongoing basis. Adoption of the new standard requires that a statement of cash flows explain the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents and amounts generally described as restricted cash, or restricted cash equivalents. The amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statements of cash flows. The amendments have been applied using a retrospective transition method to each period presented, as required.

ASU 2018-05 – Income Taxes (Topic 740)

In March 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-05, "Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118". This ASU expresses the view of the staff regarding application of Topic 740, Income Taxes, in the reporting period that includes December 22, 2017, the date on which the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R.1, An Act to Provide for Reconciliation Pursuant to Titles II and V of the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2018) was signed into law. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2018-05 on our financial statements.  

We do not believe that the adoption of any recently issued accounting pronouncements in 2019 had a significant impact on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flow, except for ASC Update No. 2016-02—Leases, which requires organizations to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet for leases classified as operating leases under previous GAAP. ASU 2016-02 requires that a lessee should recognize a liability to make lease payments (the lease liability) and a right-of-use asset representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term on the balance sheet. ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 (including interim periods within those periods) using a modified retrospective approach and early adoption is permitted. Zion adopted ASU 2016-02 in the first quarter of 2019. See Note 10 for more complete details on balances at December 31, 2019.