Oil and gas wells in Rice County
10,609 wells — 2.0% of the Kansas register. 33 were plugged at public expense, and 121 sit inactive.
10,609Wells
3326 ftMedian depth
33Plugged by the State
121Inactive
What stands out in Rice County
The operator named on most of these records is Continental Oil CO, on 214 of them (2.0%), ahead of Skelly Oil CO (154) and Gulf Oil Corp (129). The oldest well here was completed in 0935 and the most recent in 2026, and the deepest reaches 7950 feet — Socrates 1-h, drilled in 2012.
| Measurement | Median | 90th percentile | Kansas median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total depth | 3326 ft | 3502 ft | 2831 ft — deeper here |
What happened to these wells — in Rice County
7,917 of the 10,609 wells in Rice County are classed as plugged and abandoned. 33 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, 3,554 of these wells have a date on file. What each class means.
Who operates in Rice County
| Operator of record | Wells | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Continental Oil CO | 214 | 2.0% |
| Skelly Oil CO | 154 | 1.5% |
| Gulf Oil Corp | 129 | 1.2% |
| Cities Service CO | 112 | 1.1% |
| Petroleum Energy | 100 | 0.9% |
| Samuel Gary Jr. and Assoc., INC | 84 | 0.8% |
| Icer Addis Oil Operations | 81 | 0.8% |
| American Warrior, INC | 70 | 0.7% |
| J C Dozier Oil CO | 69 | 0.7% |
| Thunderbird Drlg INC | 67 | 0.6% |
| Sinclair Prairie Oil CO | 63 | 0.6% |
| R & B Pet | 62 | 0.6% |
| R & B Petroleum INC | 62 | 0.6% |
| Stanolind Oil & Gas CO | 60 | 0.6% |
| Sutton O A | 59 | 0.6% |
| Vickers Petroleum CO | 59 | 0.6% |
| Gressel Corp | 59 | 0.6% |
| Continental Oil Company | 56 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Chase-silica | 3,451 | 32.5% |
| Wherry | 700 | 6.6% |
| Welch-bornholdt | 695 | 6.6% |
| Geneseo-edwards | 625 | 5.9% |
| Unknown | 450 | 4.2% |
| Wildcat | 424 | 4.0% |
| Odessa | 197 | 1.9% |
| Orth | 191 | 1.8% |
| Tobias | 179 | 1.7% |
| Lyons West | 169 | 1.6% |
| Bloomer | 164 | 1.5% |
| Orth West | 118 | 1.1% |
| Lyons | 106 | 1.0% |
| Crawford | 76 | 0.7% |
When they were drilled
| Decade | Wells | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 56 | 0.5% |
| 2010s | 298 | 2.8% |
| 2000s | 245 | 2.3% |
| 1990s | 139 | 1.3% |
| 1980s | 1,548 | 14.6% |
| 1970s | 635 | 6.0% |
| 1960s | 1,671 | 15.8% |
| 1950s | 1,756 | 16.6% |
| 1940s | 1,756 | 16.6% |
An old well on land in Rice County?
33 wells in Rice County were plugged at the State’s expense, out of 10,609 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 Rice County
| Lease and well | Operator | Field | Depth (ft) | Year | Plugged |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doran 4 API 15-159-19079-0001 | Double Ace Oil CO | — | 3282 | 1991 | State |
| Hayward 1 API 15-159-22111 | Kansas Horizon Oil | Welch-bornholdt | 3470 | 1986 | State |
| Habiger 7 API 15-159-22010 | Moseley Petroleum Corp | Bloomer | 3242 | 1985 | State |
| Lewis 'b' 1 API 15-159-21962 | Derrick American Oil | Geneseo-edwards | 3805 | 1985 | State |
| Habiger 6 API 15-159-22009 | Moseley Pet | Bloomer | 3434 | 1985 | State |
| Zink 1 API 15-159-21718-0001 | Ash Wiley R Sr | Roesler South | 3310 | 1985 | State |
| Bell 1 API 15-159-21822-0001 | Brooks Ron Corp | Wherry | 3500 | 1985 | State |
| Engelland 1 API 15-159-21737 | Brooks Ron Corp | Wherry | 3472 | 1984 | State |
| Hoelscher 1-34 API 15-159-21924 | Kirkman Wayne L | Munyon | 3340 | 1984 | State |
| Lewis 1 API 15-159-21875 | Derrick-american Oil CO | Geneseo-edwards | 3330 | 1984 | State |
| Binger 2 API 15-159-01002-0001 | Petroleum Energy | Chase-silica | 3859 | 1984 | State |
| Yeo 2 API 15-159-03167-0001 | Graber Oil | Wildcat | 3555 | 1983 | State |
| Haile 1 API 15-159-20819 | United American | Wherry | 3343 | 1982 | State |
| Herbert E. Ramsey, Jr 3-7 API 15-159-21388 | Gulfco Prod | Welch-bornholdt | 3645 | 1982 | State |
| Baker A 1 API 15-159-21135 | Aspen Oil INC | Wherry | 3426 | 1981 | State |
| Hauschild, A. 'a' 1 API 15-159-19149-0001 | Custom Oil Exploration | Wherry | 3410 | 1981 | State |
| Peters 1 API 15-159-19432 | Francis Melland | — | 3304 | 1980 | State |
| Barber 'b' 2 API 15-159-20036 | Woco | Unknown | 3469 | 1969 | State |
| Nichols 1 API 15-159-30092 | Imperial Oil | Kepley | 3330 | 1965 | State |
| Schwamborn 2 API 15-159-30191 | Justice Bill | Lyons West | 3377 | 1965 | State |
| Schwamborn 1 API 15-159-00055-0001 | Justa Oil CO | Lyons West | 3455 | 1964 | State |
| Dresback 3 API 15-159-04267 | Bennett H C | Wherry | 3500 | 1955 | State |
| R. Schlicht 5 API 15-159-01684 | Mid Continent Petr Corp | Bloomer | 3234 | 1949 | State |
| Doran 3 API 15-159-03858 | Atlantic Refg CO | Chase-silica | 3283 | 1943 | State |
| Habiger 'b' 3 API 15-159-01007 | Transwestern Oil Company | Bloomer | 3242 | 1940 | State |
| R. Schlicht 2 API 15-159-01682 | Mid Continent Petroleum Corp | Bloomer | 3235 | 1940 | State |
| R. Schlicht 1 API 15-159-01681 | Mid Continent Petroleum Corp | Bloomer | 3215 | 1938 | State |
| Lewis 1-5 API 15-159-70347 | State of Kansas | — | 3213 | — | State |
| Schlicht 3 API 15-159-01683-0001 | National Oil & Gas Corp | Bloomer | 3275 | — | State |
| Stueder 2 API 15-159-20209-0001 | Ellinwood Tank Service, INC | Chase-silica | 3402 | — | State |
| Barber B 1 API 15-159-06234 | Johnson, A. G | — | 3465 | — | State |
| Keller 5 API 15-159-03034-0001 | State of Kansas | — | 3750 | — | State |
| Schwamborn 3 API 15-159-30093-0001 | State of Kansas | — | 3393 | — | State |
| Wherry-cllop 1-8 API 15-159-22901 | Bird Dog Oil, LLC | Wherry | 3500 | 2026 | — |
| Link 1 API 15-159-22902 | Double G Petro LLC | Chase-silica | 3380 | 2026 | — |
| Link 2 API 15-159-22903 | Double G Petro LLC | Chase-silica | 3355 | 2026 | — |
| Bayer 7-29 API 15-159-22904 | Rama Operating Co., INC | Chase-silica | 3400 | 2026 | — |
| Marilyn Zink 5 API 15-159-22905 | Rjm Company | Roesler | 3289 | 2026 | — |
| Mitchell 'a' 4 API 15-159-19233 | Mid-continent Fractionation and Storage LLC | Unknown | 275 | 2025 | — |
| Mitchell 'b' 4 API 15-159-19234 | Mid-continent Fractionation and Storage LLC | Unknown | 275 | 2025 | — |
| G-z Unit 1 API 15-159-22898 | Morgenstern Oil Operations LLC | Roesler | 3267 | 2025 | — |
| Lansing J R - B 3 API 15-159-19018-0003 | Daystar Petroleum, INC | — | 3165 | 2025 | — |
| Quattlebaum 1a API 15-159-20075-0003 | Rupe Oil Company, INC | — | 3555 | 2025 | — |
| Feist 10 API 15-159-22899 | Morgenstern Oil Operations LLC | Orth West | 3274 | 2025 | — |
| Bieberle A 7 API 15-159-22900 | Rjm Company | Orth West | 3259 | 2025 | — |
| Madden A 1 API 15-159-21485-0002 | Hazen, Ty Anthony | — | 4000 | 2025 | — |
| Grizzell C 2 API 15-159-02068-0001 | Ritchie Exploration, INC | — | 3224 | 2024 | — |
| Butch 3 API 15-159-22895 | Rjm Company | Roesler | 3276 | 2024 | — |
| P-w Unit 1-25 API 15-159-22896 | Darrah Oil Company, LLC | Chase-silica | 3280 | 2024 | — |
| Binger Owwo 2 API 15-159-35633-0002 | Rjm Company | — | 3859 | 2024 | — |
| Walsten E 3 API 15-159-20309-0002 | Rjm Company | — | 3539 | 2024 | — |
| Mitchell 6a API 15-159-19236-0001 | Mid-continent Fractionation and Storage LLC | — | 275 | 2024 | — |
| Mitchell 6b API 15-159-19237-0001 | Mid-continent Fractionation and Storage LLC | — | 275 | 2024 | — |
| Bensch 6 API 15-159-22888 | Lebsack Oil Production INC | Groves | 3250 | 2023 | — |
| Hertach B 2 API 15-159-22889 | Rjm Company | Hertach | 3280 | 2023 | — |
| Wilson 1-22 API 15-159-22664-0001 | American Warrior, INC | — | 3400 | 2023 | — |
| Burden 21 1-12 API 15-159-22890 | Younger Energy Company | Chase-silica | 3333 | 2023 | — |
| Hodgson A 1 API 15-159-21239-0001 | Daystar Petroleum, INC | — | 3225 | 2023 | — |
| Bayer 6-29 API 15-159-22891 | Rama Operating Co., INC | Chase-silica | 3380 | 2023 | — |
| Schurr Station 1 API 15-159-22892 | Plains Pipeline, L.p | — | 250 | 2023 | — |
| Roesler 'c' 10 API 15-159-22881 | Patterson Energy LLC | Bloomer | 3350 | 2022 | — |
| Habiger 1 API 15-159-22882 | Patterson Energy LLC | Bloomer | 3274 | 2022 | — |
| Habiger 2 API 15-159-22883 | Patterson Energy LLC | Bloomer | 3500 | 2022 | — |
| Habiger 3 API 15-159-22884 | Patterson Energy LLC | Bloomer | 3315 | 2022 | — |
| Tim 1 API 15-159-22885 | Rjm Company | Hertach | 3810 | 2022 | — |
| Brandenstein A-1 API 15-159-22886 | Prospect Oil & Gas Corp | Chase-silica | 3349 | 2022 | — |
| Keatts 4 API 15-159-22298-0001 | Daystar Petroleum, INC | — | 3300 | 2022 | — |
| Porter A 1 API 15-159-21541-0001 | Daystar Petroleum, INC | — | 3245 | 2022 | — |
| Bushton Compressor Station Cp1 API 15-159-22872 | Northern Natural Gas CO | — | 250 | 2021 | — |
| Bushton Compressor Station Cp-2 API 15-159-22873 | Northern Natural Gas CO | — | 250 | 2021 | — |
| Mitchell 2c API 15-159-22876 | Mid-continent Fractionation and Storage LLC | — | 100 | 2021 | — |
| Mitchell 2d API 15-159-22877 | Mid-continent Fractionation and Storage LLC | — | 100 | 2021 | — |
| Mitchell 3c API 15-159-22878 | Mid-continent Fractionation and Storage LLC | — | 100 | 2021 | — |
| Mitchell 3d API 15-159-22879 | Mid-continent Fractionation and Storage LLC | — | 100 | 2021 | — |
| Jaycat 5 API 15-159-22880 | Krier, Kirby Oil, INC | Bloomer | 3559 | 2021 | — |
| Elk Creek Pump Station 1 API 15-159-22869 | Oneok Ngl Pipeline, LLC | — | 300 | 2020 | — |
| Ankerholz A 3 API 15-159-22870 | Prospect Oil & Gas Corp | Chase-silica | 3350 | 2020 | — |
| Mp 214.9 1 API 15-159-22581-0001 | Anr Pipeline Company | — | 350 | 2020 | — |
| Knop 1-4 API 15-159-22871 | Darrah Oil Company, LLC | Chase-silica | 3330 | 2020 | — |
| Janssen A 5 API 15-159-22286-0001 | Daystar Petroleum, INC | — | 3270 | 2020 | — |
| Lyons 1 API 15-159-22865 | Overland Pass Pipeline Company, LLC | — | 250 | 2019 | — |
| Meyeres Ankerholz 16 API 15-159-22867 | Mike Kelso Oil, INC | Geneseo-edwards | 3310 | 2019 | — |
| Wallace 11-29 API 15-159-22868 | Rama Operating Co., INC | Chase-silica | 3750 | 2019 | — |
| Dale Beneke 3-13 API 15-159-22644 | American Warrior, INC | Silica | 3465 | 2018 | — |
| Bensch 5 API 15-159-22849 | Lebsack Oil Production INC | Unnamed | 3380 | 2018 | — |
| Cross Reach Farms 4 API 15-159-22699-0001 | Hupfer Operating, INC | Chase-silica | 3674 | 2018 | — |
| Hager 1 API 15-159-22851 | Charter Energy, INC | Chase-silica | 3400 | 2018 | — |
| Wesseler 1-34 API 15-159-22852 | Edison Operating Company LLC | Orth | 3260 | 2018 | — |
| Meredith 1 API 15-159-22854 | Rjm Company | Orth West | 3298 | 2018 | — |
| Escape To Colorado 16c-9-1910 API 15-159-22855 | Samuel Gary Jr. & Associates, INC | Mansz | 3340 | 2018 | — |
| Mp 7.7 1 API 15-159-22856 | Rose Rock Midstream Crude, L.p | — | 310 | 2018 | — |
| Mike 1 API 15-159-22857 | Richlan Drilling | Farmer North | 3292 | 2018 | — |
| Tobias 21 API 15-159-22836 | Berexco LLC | Tobias | 3470 | 2017 | — |
| Habiger 18-1 API 15-159-22837 | Stratakan Exploration, LLC | — | 3330 | 2017 | — |
| North River 7 API 15-159-22838 | Lebsack Oil Production INC | Groves | 3410 | 2017 | — |
| Wellman 1 API 15-159-22841 | H & B Petroleum Corp | Rino | 3600 | 2017 | — |
| Habiger 18-2 API 15-159-22842 | Stratakan Exploration, LLC | Farmer North | 3413 | 2017 | — |
| Habiger-carter Unit 18-1 API 15-159-22843 | Stratakan Exploration, LLC | — | 3323 | 2017 | — |
| North River 8 API 15-159-22844 | Lebsack Oil Production INC | Groves | 3200 | 2017 | — |
| Mp 220.34 1 API 15-159-22845 | Anr Pipeline Company | — | 350 | 2017 | — |
| North River 4 API 15-159-22810-0001 | Lebsack Oil Production INC | — | 3200 | 2017 | — |
| C59701a 1 API 15-159-22847 | Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, INC | — | 330 | 2017 | — |
| C59701b 1 API 15-159-22848 | Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, INC | — | 330 | 2017 | — |
| Blackhall 5 API 15-159-22829 | Bear Petroleum, LLC | Blackhall | 3575 | 2016 | — |
| Blackhall 1 API 15-159-20814-0001 | Bear Petroleum, LLC | Blackhall | 3730 | 2016 | — |
| Newkirk Owwo 3 API 15-159-01017-0002 | Daystar Petroleum, INC | — | 3238 | 2016 | — |
| Bensch 4 API 15-159-22830 | Lebsack Oil Production INC | Groves | 3220 | 2016 | — |
| Alden Gas Storage O-30 API 15-159-22832 | Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, INC | Alden | 3485 | 2016 | — |
| North River 6 API 15-159-22835 | Lebsack Oil Production INC | Groves | 3250 | 2016 | — |
| Dorothy 1-3 API 15-159-22804 | American Warrior, INC | Geneseo-edwards | 3400 | 2015 | — |
| Hoelscher 4-10 API 15-159-22811 | American Warrior, INC | — | 3400 | 2015 | — |
| Kk 1-22 Swd API 15-159-22812 | Valhalla Exploration LLC | Orth | 3500 | 2015 | — |
| Ames-robl 1-19 API 15-159-22820 | Cmx, INC | Chase-silica | 3400 | 2015 | — |
| C56451 01 API 15-159-22821 | Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, INC | — | 140 | 2015 | — |
| Bensch 2 API 15-159-22822 | Lebsack Oil Production INC | Groves | 3360 | 2015 | — |
| Wood C 3 API 15-159-06311-0001 | Daystar Petroleum, INC | — | 3175 | 2015 | — |
| Bensch 3 API 15-159-22824 | Lebsack Oil Production INC | Groves | 3117 | 2015 | — |
| Appleton 5 API 15-159-22825 | Mai Oil Operations, INC | Chase-silica | 3345 | 2015 | — |
| Blackhall 3 API 15-159-30312-0001 | Bear Petroleum, LLC | Blackhall | 3550 | 2015 | — |
| Caywood 2-33 API 15-159-22827 | Lebsack Oil Production INC | Groves | 3320 | 2015 | — |
| Potts 'a' 3 API 15-159-20405-0001 | Rama Operating Company | Toni-mike Northeast | 3383 | 2014 | — |
| Bayer 2-20 API 15-159-22756 | Edison Operating Company LLC | Chase-silica | 3600 | 2014 | — |
| Browning 'c' 1-13 API 15-159-22763 | K & N Petroleum, INC | Chase-silica | 3400 | 2014 | — |
| Hoelscher Farms 2 API 15-159-22765 | Rjm Company | Bloomer | 3342 | 2014 | — |
| Meyers 1 API 15-159-22766 | Zu, LLC | Chase-silica | 3364 | 2014 | — |
| Big Red 6 API 15-159-22499-0001 | Mike Kelso Oil, INC | Chase-silica | 3508 | 2014 | — |
| Clarene Ankerholz 1 API 15-159-21609-0001 | Prospect Oil & Gas Corp | Chase-silica | 3530 | 2014 | — |
| Ankerholz 'a' 2 API 15-159-02331-0001 | Prospect Oil & Gas Corp | Chase-silica | 3287 | 2014 | — |
| Jay Cat 1 API 15-159-22769 | Kirby Krier Oil, INC | Bloomer | 3249 | 2014 | — |
| Skiles 28 1 API 15-159-22772 | Primal Energy O&g, LLC | Cow Creek Southeast | 3290 | 2014 | — |
| Raymond 1-h API 15-159-22773-0100 | Lebsack Oil Production INC | Grove | 2729 | 2014 | — |
| Krehbiel 1 API 15-159-22774 | Cmx, INC | Welch-bornholdt | 3500 | 2014 | — |
| Knop 7-30 API 15-159-22775 | Rama Operating Co., INC | Chase-silica | 3700 | 2014 | — |
| Kk 1-27 API 15-159-22776 | Valhalla Exploration LLC | Orth | 3230 | 2014 | — |
| Beck 1 API 15-159-22777 | Rjm Company | Heinz | 3264 | 2014 | — |
| J Behnke 1 API 15-159-03264-0001 | Mark Allen Connell | Chase-silica | 3327 | 2014 | — |
| Behnke 11 API 15-159-22780 | Connell, Mark Allen | Chase-silica | 3263 | 2014 | — |
| Meyer Ankerholz 13 API 15-159-22783 | Mike Kelso Oil, INC | Geneseo-edwards | 3345 | 2014 | — |
| Stout 'p' 8 API 15-159-22734-0001 | Ritchie Exploration, INC | Bloomer | 3225 | 2014 | — |
| Jay Cat 2 API 15-159-22788 | Kirby Krier Oil, INC | Bloomer | 3235 | 2014 | — |
| North River 3 API 15-159-22790 | Lebsack Oil Production INC | Groves | 3308 | 2014 | — |
| Heine 3 API 15-159-22791 | Hupfer Operating, INC | Chase-silica | 3286 | 2014 | — |
| Jay Cat 3 API 15-159-22792 | Kirby Krier Oil, INC | Bloomer | 3247 | 2014 | — |
| Jean 1-2 API 15-159-22793 | American Warrior, INC | Geneseo-edwards | 3365 | 2014 | — |
| Hoelscher 1-10 API 15-159-22795 | American Warrior, INC | Wildcat | 3400 | 2014 | — |
| Hoelscher 2-10 API 15-159-22796 | American Warrior, INC | — | 3400 | 2014 | — |
| Delbert 1-15 API 15-159-22797 | American Warrior, INC | — | 3400 | 2014 | — |
| Fry 7 API 15-159-22623-0001 | Krehbiel, Jay Dba K & S Oil CO | Welch-bornholdt | 3483 | 2014 | — |
| Krehbiel Trust Swd 1 API 15-159-21007-0001 | Cmx, INC | Welch-bornholdt | 4231 | 2014 | — |
| Hager C-1 API 15-159-22798 | Carrie Exploration & Development, LLC | Chase-silica | 3410 | 2014 | — |
By class in Rice County
Counties with a comparable register
- Russell 13,770
- Greenwood 13,046
- Wilson 12,772
- Anderson 12,692
- Cowley 11,511
- Stafford 11,492
- Franklin 10,641
- Rooks 10,167
- Graham 9,074
- Ness 8,076
- Linn 8,039
- Barber 7,830
- Sumner 6,984
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.