Oil and gas wells in Ellsworth County
3,850 wells — 0.7% of the Kansas register. 18 were plugged at public expense, and 121 sit inactive.
3,850Wells
3290 ftMedian depth
18Plugged by the State
121Inactive
What stands out in Ellsworth County
The operator named on most of these records is Continental Oil Company, on 62 of them (1.6%), ahead of Cities Service CO (59) and Continental Oil CO (58). The oldest well here was completed in 1889 and the most recent in 2026, and the deepest reaches 5360 feet — Kootz 1, drilled in 1991.
| Measurement | Median | 90th percentile | Kansas median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total depth | 3290 ft | 3437 ft | 2831 ft — deeper here |
What happened to these wells — in Ellsworth County
2,869 of the 3,850 wells in Ellsworth County are classed as plugged and abandoned. 18 were plugged at the State’s expense because no responsible party could be found, and 121 sit on the register as inactive — neither producing nor plugged.
⚠️ Two fields in this register disagree, and we show both rather than pick one: across Kansas, 245,220 wells are classed as plugged but 92,867 of them carry no plugging date, while 26,002 wells carry a date under another class. Here, 1,531 of these wells have a date on file. What each class means.
Who operates in Ellsworth County
| Operator of record | Wells | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Continental Oil Company | 62 | 1.6% |
| Cities Service CO | 59 | 1.5% |
| Continental Oil CO | 58 | 1.5% |
| Skelly Oil CO | 57 | 1.5% |
| Cities Service Oil CO | 49 | 1.3% |
| Gulf Oil Corp | 43 | 1.1% |
| Samuel Gary Jr. and Assoc., INC | 40 | 1.0% |
| Lb Exploration, INC | 35 | 0.9% |
| Derby Oil CO | 32 | 0.8% |
| Petroleum Energy, INC | 30 | 0.8% |
| Oneok Ngl Pipeline, LLC | 30 | 0.8% |
| American Warrior, INC | 28 | 0.7% |
| Stanolind Oil & Gas CO | 27 | 0.7% |
| Glen N Rupe | 24 | 0.6% |
| Petroleum INC | 22 | 0.6% |
| Atlantic Refg CO | 22 | 0.6% |
| El Dorado Refining CO | 22 | 0.6% |
| Messman-rinehart Oil CO | 21 | 0.5% |
The operator of record is the one the register names. It is not necessarily the one there today, and it is not a judgement on anyone.
Which oil fields
| Field | Wells | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Stoltenberg | 1,095 | 28.4% |
| Unknown | 410 | 10.6% |
| Wildcat | 369 | 9.6% |
| Bloomer | 294 | 7.6% |
| Geneseo-edwards | 238 | 6.2% |
| Wilson Creek | 224 | 5.8% |
| Lorraine | 212 | 5.5% |
| Heiken | 102 | 2.6% |
| Kraft-prusa | 81 | 2.1% |
| Ellsworth | 64 | 1.7% |
| Progress | 46 | 1.2% |
| Maes | 40 | 1.0% |
| Progress Northwest | 36 | 0.9% |
| Unnamed | 32 | 0.8% |
When they were drilled
| Decade | Wells | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 41 | 1.1% |
| 2010s | 149 | 3.9% |
| 2000s | 121 | 3.1% |
| 1990s | 62 | 1.6% |
| 1980s | 573 | 14.9% |
| 1970s | 492 | 12.8% |
| 1960s | 341 | 8.9% |
| 1950s | 572 | 14.9% |
| 1940s | 705 | 18.3% |
An old well on land in Ellsworth County?
18 wells in Ellsworth County were plugged at the State’s expense, out of 3,850 on the register — the sign that an operator was gone. If you find a well on your land, report it and do not tidy it up: knocking over casing can make you the responsible party. This site reads the register; it does not plug wells. Tell us where and we pass the request to Kansas operators and consultants.
We recommend nobody and we are nobody's agent. We have no arrangement with any firm today — we are collecting these requests in order to go and find them. What we do with this.
Wells in Ellsworth County
| Lease and well | Operator | Field | Depth (ft) | Year | Plugged |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sebesta 'b' 2 API 15-053-01007-0001 | Petroleum Energy, INC | Unknown | 3610 | 1985 | State |
| Schneider 1-a API 15-053-20905 | Comanche Prod | Ellsworth | 1920 | 1984 | State |
| Schroeder 1 API 15-053-19013-0001 | C.b. Cannan | Stoltenberg | 3218 | 1982 | State |
| Frank G. Hlaus 1-16 API 15-053-20610 | Davies & CO | Wilson Creek | 2310 | 1981 | State |
| Dobrinski 1 API 15-053-20680 | North American Drl&expl | Wildcat | 3360 | 1981 | State |
| Huebner 4 API 15-053-00489-0001 | Cannan C B | Stoltenberg | 3269 | 1981 | State |
| Worcester 1 API 15-053-20494 | Rupe Oil | Dolechek South | 2980 | 1978 | State |
| Miller 2 API 15-053-20095-0001 | Wilson Exploration Drilling, INC | Wilson Creek | 3800 | 1975 | State |
| E. Zajic 1 API 15-053-20332 | Ward Oil | Satran | 1402 | 1973 | State |
| L. Johnson 'a' 2 API 15-053-30155-0002 | Ward Oil | Geneseo-edwards | 3233 | 1973 | State |
| Margart Muncie 1 API 15-053-20218 | N K O Drlg | Wildcat | 2995 | 1972 | State |
| Ploog 1 API 15-053-01783 | Lindsley Drilling CO | Stoltenberg | 3278 | 1952 | State |
| Frevert 6 API 15-053-01425 | D R Lauck Oil CO Et Al | Stoltenberg | 3599 | 1949 | State |
| Matosh 'b' 3 API 15-053-00737 | Mid Continent Petr Corp | Stoltenberg | 3295 | 1941 | State |
| Matosh 'b' 2 API 15-053-00736 | Mid Continent Petr Corp | Stoltenberg | 3292 | 1940 | State |
| Kowalsky 1 13-16-0 API 15-053-70335 | State of Kansas | — | 3170 | — | State |
| Miller 4 API 15-053-20317 | Will P. Ash | — | 2873 | — | State |
| Ellsworth 1 API 15-053-34971 | Ellsworth Oil Dev | Unknown | 1600 | — | State |
| Borell B 2 API 15-053-20027-0001 | Trans Pacific Oil Corporation | — | 2870 | 2026 | — |
| Rathbun 8 API 15-053-21403 | Darrah Oil Company, LLC | Geneseo-edwards | 3330 | 2025 | — |
| Bs-18 Replacement Rumler 1 API 15-053-21404 | Oneok Ngl Pipeline, LLC | — | 400 | 2025 | — |
| Bf-7 Replacement Rumler 1 API 15-053-21405 | Oneok Ngl Pipeline, LLC | — | 300 | 2025 | — |
| Ks-kc-06 Replacement Rumler 1 API 15-053-21406 | Oneok Ngl Pipeline, LLC | — | 300 | 2025 | — |
| Southern Star Line Xw Ellsworth C0009010 API 15-053-21407 | Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, INC | — | 250 | 2025 | — |
| Rolfs 1 API 15-053-21390 | Patterson Energy LLC | Lorraine | 3600 | 2024 | — |
| Rolfs 2 API 15-053-21391 | Patterson Energy LLC | Lorraine | 3195 | 2024 | — |
| Mollhagen 1 API 15-053-21392 | Castle Resources, INC | — | 3350 | 2024 | — |
| Cv Farms 22 1 API 15-053-21393 | Lb Exploration, INC | — | 3080 | 2024 | — |
| Rathbun Ranch 32 1 API 15-053-21396 | Lb Exploration, INC | — | 3400 | 2024 | — |
| Bf-6 Replacement Rumler 1 API 15-053-21398 | Oneok Ngl Pipeline, LLC | — | 300 | 2024 | — |
| Bf-13 Replacement Rumler 1 API 15-053-21399 | Oneok Ngl Pipeline, LLC | — | 300 | 2024 | — |
| Mollhagen 3 API 15-053-21400 | Castle Resources, INC | Geneseo-edwards | 3346 | 2024 | — |
| Ks-8m-03-a Replacement Rumler 1 API 15-053-21401 | Oneok Ngl Pipeline, LLC | — | 300 | 2024 | — |
| Mollhagen 8 API 15-053-00771-0004 | Castle Resources, INC | — | 3309 | 2024 | — |
| J F Rolfs 8 API 15-053-19019-0002 | Murfin Drilling Co., INC | — | 4020 | 2023 | — |
| Ks-8m-03 Replacement Rumler 1 API 15-053-21385 | Oneok Ngl Pipeline, LLC | — | 300 | 2023 | — |
| Ks-8e-01 Replacement Rumler 1 API 15-053-21386 | Oneok Ngl Pipeline, LLC | — | 270 | 2023 | — |
| Bf-3 Replacement Rumler 1 API 15-053-21387 | Oneok Ngl Pipeline, LLC | — | 300 | 2023 | — |
| Bf-1 Replacement Rumler 1 API 15-053-21388 | Oneok Ngl Pipeline, LLC | — | 300 | 2023 | — |
| Zwillich 2 API 15-053-21380 | Patterson Energy LLC | Lorraine | 3568 | 2022 | — |
| Lucky 7 3 API 15-053-21381 | Lb Exploration, INC | Stoltenberg | 3421 | 2022 | — |
| Kozisek 'b' 1/16 API 15-053-20426-0001 | L. D. Drilling, INC | Stoltenberg | 3505 | 2022 | — |
| Ama 287-1 1 API 15-053-21382 | Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America LLC | — | 130 | 2022 | — |
| Ama 287-2 2 API 15-053-21383 | Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America LLC | — | 130 | 2022 | — |
| Reed 1 API 15-053-21373 | Patterson Energy LLC | Lorraine | 3280 | 2021 | — |
| Staatz 2 API 15-053-21375 | Trek Aec, LLC | Green Garden | 3330 | 2021 | — |
| Zwillich 1 API 15-053-21376 | Patterson Energy LLC | Lorraine | 3270 | 2021 | — |
| Janssen 25-1 API 15-053-21201-0001 | Coral Production Corporation | — | 3295 | 2021 | — |
| Woydziak 1-26 API 15-053-21377 | Mcginness Energy Company, INC | Heiken | 3280 | 2021 | — |
| Stoeppelwerth 1-21 API 15-053-21371 | Edison Operating Company LLC | Stoltenberg | 3430 | 2020 | — |
| Musenberg C 9 API 15-053-21372 | Patterson Energy LLC | Stoltenberg | 3310 | 2020 | — |
| Mehl 1 API 15-053-21374 | Patterson Energy LLC | Stoltenberg | 3354 | 2020 | — |
| John Vacek 7 API 15-053-21369 | Darrah, John Jay, Jr | Stoltenberg | 3280 | 2019 | — |
| Bf-6 1 API 15-053-21370 | Oneok Ngl Pipeline, LLC | — | 300 | 2019 | — |
| Weber 1-19 API 15-053-21364 | American Warrior, INC | Wildcat | 3500 | 2018 | — |
| Pcr 1-23 API 15-053-21366 | American Oil LLC | Lorraine | 3290 | 2018 | — |
| Harlow 1-30 API 15-053-21367 | Pauley Oil | Schlessiger | 3450 | 2018 | — |
| S. Rolfs 6 API 15-053-21368 | Pauley Oil | Geneseo-edwards | 3600 | 2018 | — |
| White 'b' 3 API 15-053-21349 | Mid-continent Energy Corp | Stoltenberg | 3397 | 2017 | — |
| Sarah 1 API 15-053-21350 | Pauley Oil | Progress | 3503 | 2017 | — |
| Brown 2 API 15-053-00893-0001 | Trek Aec, LLC | Green Garden | 3285 | 2017 | — |
| Becker Trust 19 2 API 15-053-21354 | Lb Exploration, INC | Oxhide | 3290 | 2017 | — |
| C59488 A 1 API 15-053-21355 | Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, INC | — | 200 | 2017 | — |
| C59488 B 1 API 15-053-21356 | Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, INC | — | 200 | 2017 | — |
| Schroeder 'c' 9 API 15-053-21357 | Rama Operating Co., INC | — | 3284 | 2017 | — |
| Lille 4-30 API 15-053-21340 | American Warrior, INC | Schlessiger | 3600 | 2016 | — |
| Wesseler 5 API 15-053-21342 | Castle Resources, INC | Stoltenberg | 3700 | 2016 | — |
| Bushton 1-30 API 15-053-21343 | Cmx, INC | Stoltenberg | 3251 | 2016 | — |
| Abercrombie 1-31 API 15-053-21346 | American Warrior, INC | Wildcat | 3400 | 2016 | — |
| Branda 1-29 API 15-053-21347 | American Warrior, INC | Stoltenberg | 3500 | 2016 | — |
| I-70 New Prose 1 API 15-053-21348 | Oneok Ngl Pipeline, LLC | — | 250 | 2016 | — |
| S. Rolfs 5 API 15-053-21320 | Pauley Oil | Geneseo-edwards | 3463 | 2015 | — |
| Bushton 1-36 API 15-053-21324 | Cmx, INC | Heiken | 3251 | 2015 | — |
| Bne 19-22 API 15-053-21325 | Stratakan Exploration, LLC | Stoltenberg | 3307 | 2015 | — |
| Boye 1-16 API 15-053-21326 | Valhalla Exploration LLC | Stoltenberg | 3450 | 2015 | — |
| Wesseler 1 API 15-053-21327 | Castle Resources, INC | Stoltenberg | 3298 | 2015 | — |
| Wesseler 2 API 15-053-21328 | Castle Resources, INC | Stoltenberg | 3216 | 2015 | — |
| Wesseler 10 API 15-053-21329 | Mike Kelso Oil, INC | Stoltenberg | 3219 | 2015 | — |
| Lille 2-30 API 15-053-21331 | American Warrior, INC | Schlessiger | 3500 | 2015 | — |
| Wesseler 3 API 15-053-21334 | Castle Resources, INC | Stoltenberg | 3400 | 2015 | — |
| Schroeder 'b' 3 API 15-053-21335 | Mike Kelso Oil, INC | Stoltenberg | 3295 | 2015 | — |
| Becker Trust 19 1 API 15-053-21336 | Lb Exploration, INC | Oxhide | 3261 | 2015 | — |
| Becker 19 Swd API 15-053-20988-0001 | Lb Exploration, INC | Oxhide | 3508 | 2015 | — |
| Bushton 2-36 API 15-053-21337 | Cmx, INC | Heiken | 3255 | 2015 | — |
| 101 Pipeline 1 API 15-053-21338 | Oneok Ngl Pipeline, LLC | — | 200 | 2015 | — |
| Lille 3-30 API 15-053-21339 | American Warrior, INC | Schlessiger | 3500 | 2015 | — |
| Wesseler 4 API 15-053-21341 | Castle Resources, INC | Stoltenberg | 3300 | 2015 | — |
| Beagley 1 API 15-053-21289 | Jason Oil Company, LLC | Stoltenberg | 3400 | 2014 | — |
| Yager 1 API 15-053-21290 | Pauley Oil | Palacky Southeast | 3480 | 2014 | — |
| White 5-8 API 15-053-21293 | American Warrior, INC | Stoltenberg | 3600 | 2014 | — |
| Barclay 4 API 15-053-21296 | C & K Oil Company | Stoltenberg | 3430 | 2014 | — |
| Katrina 3 API 15-053-21298 | Pauley, Gary Dba Pauley Oil | Stoltenberg | 3373 | 2014 | — |
| Grub Unit 2-5 API 15-053-21302 | American Warrior, INC | Stoltenberg | 3420 | 2014 | — |
| Grubb 'd' 1-5 API 15-053-21304 | American Warrior, INC | Stoltenberg | 3400 | 2014 | — |
| D & S 1-5 API 15-053-21305 | American Warrior, INC | Stoltenberg | 3410 | 2014 | — |
| Harbacek 6 API 15-053-21307 | Jason Oil Company, LLC | Stoltenberg | 3400 | 2014 | — |
| Stoltenberg-svoboda 1-17 API 15-053-21312 | Bird Dog Oil, LLC | Stoltenberg | 3460 | 2014 | — |
| White 7-8 API 15-053-21313 | American Warrior, INC | Stoltenberg | 3446 | 2014 | — |
| Stoltenberg-svoboda 2-17 API 15-053-21314 | Bird Dog Oil, LLC | Stoltenberg | 3460 | 2014 | — |
| Lucky 7 2 API 15-053-21315 | Lb Exploration, INC | Stoltenberg | 3552 | 2014 | — |
| White 5-8 API 15-053-21293-0001 | American Warrior, INC | — | 3600 | 2014 | — |
| Boys Town Unit 2 API 15-053-21280 | Rjm Company | Bloomer | 3251 | 2013 | — |
| Kratzer 11 API 15-053-21281 | Darrah, John Jay, Jr | Geneseo-edwards | 3285 | 2013 | — |
| Rathbun 7 API 15-053-21282 | Darrah, John Jay, Jr | — | 3192 | 2013 | — |
| Jezek 2 API 15-053-21284 | Lb Exploration, INC | Stoltenberg | 3485 | 2013 | — |
| Katrina 1 API 15-053-21285 | Pauley Oil | Stoltenberg | 3366 | 2013 | — |
| Katrina 2 API 15-053-21286 | Pauley Oil | Progress | 3600 | 2013 | — |
| S. Rolfs 4 API 15-053-21287 | Pauley Oil | Geneseo-edwards | 3277 | 2013 | — |
| Petermann 28 1 API 15-053-20985-0002 | Lb Exploration, INC | Unnamed | 3598 | 2013 | — |
| Lucky 7 1 API 15-053-21288 | Lb Exploration, INC | Stoltenberg | 3533 | 2013 | — |
| White 6-8 API 15-053-21294 | American Warrior, INC | Stoltenberg | 3460 | 2013 | — |
| Grubb 1-5 API 15-053-21295 | American Warrior, INC | Stoltenberg | 3400 | 2013 | — |
| Janssen 4 API 15-053-01659-0002 | Darrah Oil Company, LLC | — | 3995 | 2013 | — |
| Beck 'b' 5 API 15-053-21272 | John Roy Evans Oil Co. LLC | Bloomer | 3400 | 2012 | — |
| Kratzer 10 API 15-053-21276 | John Jay Darrah, Jr | Geneseo-edwards | 3293 | 2012 | — |
| Siemsen East 1 API 15-053-21279 | Rjm Company | Stoltenberg | 3268 | 2012 | — |
| Gregory A-2 API 15-053-19131-0001 | Trek Aec, LLC | — | 3498 | 2012 | — |
| Kraft-prusa Unit 16 API 15-053-21254 | American Warrior, INC | Kraft-prusa | 3310 | 2011 | — |
| Beck 'b' 4 API 15-053-21255 | John Roy Evans Oil Co. LLC | Bloomer | 3336 | 2011 | — |
| S. Rolfs 1 API 15-053-21258 | Pauley Oil | Geneseo-edwards | 3600 | 2011 | — |
| Dobrinski 2 API 15-053-21257 | Pauley Oil | Lorraine | 3289 | 2011 | — |
| Wilkens 1 API 15-053-21261 | Rjm Company | Stoltenberg | 3282 | 2011 | — |
| Mollhagen 8 API 15-053-00771-0003 | Castle Resources, INC | Geneseo-edwards | 3309 | 2011 | — |
| Heitschmidt Et Al 1-35 API 15-053-21267 | Samuel Gary Jr. and Assoc., INC | Wildcat | 3380 | 2011 | — |
| Whitley 17-4 API 15-053-21271 | Black Tea Oil, LLC | Wilson Creek | 3130 | 2011 | — |
| Reed 1-16 API 15-053-21120 | Larson Operating CO | Unnamed | 2580 | 2010 | — |
| Schroeder Trust 1-18 API 15-053-21123 | Larson Operating CO | Wildcat | 2675 | 2010 | — |
| Fleming 1x-20 API 15-053-21128 | Larson Operating CO | Wildcat | 2264 | 2010 | — |
| Schroeder Trust 'x' 2-18 API 15-053-21130 | Larson Operating CO | Kanak | 2220 | 2010 | — |
| Disque 2 API 15-053-21233 | Lb Exploration, INC | Bloomer | 3466 | 2010 | — |
| Red Angus Cc 1-26 Swd API 15-053-20999-0001 | Coral Production Corporation | Maes | 3700 | 2010 | — |
| Wild Goose 1 API 15-053-21238 | Lb Exploration, INC | Bloomer | 3304 | 2010 | — |
| Schepmann 'a' 5 API 15-053-21244 | Pauley Oil | Bloomer | 3395 | 2010 | — |
| Hujing 3 API 15-053-21243 | Pauley Oil | Bloomer | 3375 | 2010 | — |
| Schepmann 1 API 15-053-21006-0001 | — | West | 3513 | 2010 | — |
| Johnson 1 API 15-053-21247 | Rjm Company | Stoltenberg | 3324 | 2010 | — |
| Grizzell 26 API 15-053-21248 | Grady Bolding Corp | Bloomer | 3320 | 2010 | — |
| Rolfs 1 API 15-053-21250 | Castle Resources, INC | Lorraine | 3400 | 2010 | — |
| Steinert 'a' 7 API 15-053-21211 | John Roy Evans | Bloomer | 3356 | 2008 | — |
| Steinert 'a' 8 API 15-053-21212 | John Roy Evans | Bloomer | 3325 | 2008 | — |
| Charvat 2 API 15-053-21216 | Mai Oil Operations, INC | Wildcat | 3311 | 2008 | — |
| Charvat 3 API 15-053-21218 | Mai Oil Operations, INC | Wildcat | 3375 | 2008 | — |
| Disque 1 API 15-053-21219 | Lb Exploration, INC | Bloomer | 3330 | 2008 | — |
| Wire 1 API 15-053-21225 | Fox Petroleum, INC | Geneseo | 3310 | 2008 | — |
| Wire 3 API 15-053-21227 | Fox Petroleum, INC | Geneseo | 3214 | 2008 | — |
| Wire 2 API 15-053-21226 | Fox Petroleum, INC | Geneseo | 3240 | 2008 | — |
| Wire 4 API 15-053-21228 | Fox Petroleum, INC | Geneseo | 3250 | 2008 | — |
| Vacek 1 API 15-053-21230 | Clipper Energy LLC | Wildcat | 3381 | 2008 | — |
| Schroeder-maes 3-34 API 15-053-21156-0001 | Ares Energy LTD | Wildcat | 3402 | 2008 | — |
| Schroeder-maes-huff 3-34 API 15-053-21176-0001 | Ares Energy, LTD | Wildcat | 3367 | 2008 | — |
By class in Ellsworth County
Counties with a comparable register
- Marion 4,770
- Elk 4,634
- Reno 4,542
- Sedgwick 4,516
- Morton 4,399
- Haskell 4,236
- Seward 3,997
- Pawnee 3,840
- Rush 3,544
- Harper 3,358
- Kearny 3,249
- Lane 3,242
- Gove 3,108
Neighbours by the size of their register, not a ranking: the list slides with the county, so each of the 82 county pages is reachable from the others. All of them.