The Kraus field
347 wells — 0.1% of the Kansas register.
What stands out in the Kraus field
The operator named on most of these records is Frontier Oil CO, on 52 of them (15.0%), ahead of Frontier Oil (15) and R.p. Nixon Operations (14). The oldest well here was completed in 1929 and the most recent in 2015, and the deepest reaches 4076 feet — Kinderknecht 4, drilled in 1959.
| Measurement | Median | 90th percentile | Kansas median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total depth | 3825 ft | 3900 ft | 2831 ft — deeper here |
What happened to these wells — in the Kraus field
242 of the 347 wells in the Kraus field are classed as plugged and abandoned. 3 were plugged at the State’s expense because no responsible party could be found, and 3 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, 151 of these wells have a date on file. What each class means.
Producing formations
| Formation | Wells | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Arbuckle | 7 | 2.0% |
| Lansing Group | 2 | 0.6% |
| Arbuckle, Lansing Kansas City | 2 | 0.6% |
| Arbuckle Group | 1 | 0.3% |
| Arbuckle Sand | 1 | 0.3% |
| Lansing, Arbuckle | 1 | 0.3% |
| Lansing, Kansas City | 1 | 0.3% |
The formation is recorded on only 21 % of Kansas wells, so this table describes the minority that carry one.
Where the field lies
| County | Wells | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Ellis | 343 | 98.8% |
Who operates there
| Operator | Wells | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Frontier Oil CO | 52 | 15.0% |
| Frontier Oil | 15 | 4.3% |
| R.p. Nixon Operations | 14 | 4.0% |
| Frontier Oil Company | 12 | 3.5% |
| Weilert Enterprises | 12 | 3.5% |
| Weilert, Michael D. Oil CO | 9 | 2.6% |
| Witcraft Bill | 8 | 2.3% |
| Shields Oil Producers INC | 8 | 2.3% |
| Petroleum INC | 7 | 2.0% |
| Petroleum, INC | 6 | 1.7% |
| Barnett Oil | 5 | 1.4% |
| J & W Oil | 5 | 1.4% |
| Cattlemans Oil | 5 | 1.4% |
| N-b CO | 5 | 1.4% |
An old well on land in Kansas?
3 wells in Kansas were plugged at the State’s expense, out of 347 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.
The wells
| Lease and well | Operator | Field | Depth (ft) | Year | Plugged |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson-weilert 1 API 15-051-23097 | Landowner | Kraus | 3880 | 1982 | State |
| Kinderknecht B 11 API 15-051-21789 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3950 | 1980 | State |
| Kinderknecht B 6 API 15-051-21557 | Frontier Oil | Kraus | 3846 | 1978 | State |
| Sunley Unit A 1-28 API 15-051-26754 | Trans Pacific Oil Corporation | Kraus | 3789 | 2015 | — |
| Weilert 2 API 15-051-26562 | Michael D. Weilert Oil CO | Kraus | 3848 | 2013 | — |
| Meier 2 API 15-051-01704-0002 | R.p. Nixon Operations | Kraus | 3922 | 2013 | — |
| Kramer 1-a API 15-051-26265 | Tri United, INC | Kraus | 3842 | 2012 | — |
| Weilert 1 API 15-051-21678-0001 | Michael D. Weilert Oil CO | Kraus | 3861 | 2011 | — |
| Irvin 'c' 3 API 15-051-25464 | R.p. Nixon Operations | Kraus | 3920 | 2006 | — |
| Kraus 'a' 5 API 15-051-25527 | Dorzweiler, Leo R. Dba Cattlemans Oil Operations | Kraus | 3889 | 2006 | — |
| Kraus 'a' 4 API 15-051-25436 | Dorzweiler, Leo R. Dba Cattlemans Oil Operations | Kraus | 3858 | 2005 | — |
| Kraus, Donald 6 API 15-051-24928 | Weilert, Michael D. Oil CO | Kraus | 3821 | 1996 | — |
| Kraus 'a' 11 API 15-051-24888 | Afg Eenergy | Kraus | 3810 | 1995 | — |
| Kraus 'a' 10 API 15-051-24877 | Afg Energy | Kraus | 3860 | 1994 | — |
| Kraus 9 API 15-051-24864-0001 | — | Kraus | 4050 | 1994 | — |
| Kraus 6 API 15-051-24855 | Challenger Expl | Kraus | 3765 | 1993 | — |
| Kraus 9 API 15-051-24864 | Challenger Expl | Kraus | 4050 | 1993 | — |
| Kinderknecht 'b' 2 API 15-051-21646 | Petroleum, INC | Kraus | 3790 | 1990 | — |
| Kraus 'b' 5 API 15-051-24702 | Afg Energy | Kraus | 3840 | 1990 | — |
| Walter 2 API 15-051-24536 | R.p. Nixon Operations | Kraus | 3860 | 1988 | — |
| Kraus 'a' 3 API 15-051-24398 | Cattlemans Oil Operations | Kraus | 3818 | 1986 | — |
| Kraus 'd' 7 API 15-051-24003 | Weilert Enterprises | Kraus | 0 | 1985 | — |
| Walter 1 API 15-051-24253 | R.p. Nixon Operations | Kraus | 3832 | 1985 | — |
| Kraus, H 5 API 15-051-03959-0001 | Weilert Enterprises | Kraus | 3768 | 1983 | — |
| Kraus C 1 API 15-051-23336 | Cattlemans Oil CO | Kraus | 3822 | 1983 | — |
| Kraus, Harold 4 API 15-051-23409 | Weilert Enterprises | Kraus | 3809 | 1983 | — |
| Kinderknecht 'b' 1 API 15-051-01364-0001 | Murfin Drilling Co., INC | Kraus | 3814 | 1982 | — |
| Kraus, Donald - South 2 API 15-051-22953 | Weilert, Michael D. Oil CO | Kraus | 3770 | 1982 | — |
| Kinderknecht 'b' 12 API 15-051-22996 | Southern States Oil | Kraus | 3846 | 1982 | — |
| Kraus 'b' 2 API 15-051-23105 | Cattlemans Oil | Kraus | 3860 | 1982 | — |
| Kraus 'b' 2 API 15-051-03057-0001 | Trans Pacific Oil Corp | Kraus | 3792 | 1982 | — |
| Kraus 1 API 15-051-21870 | Cattlemans Oil CO | Kraus | 3831 | 1981 | — |
| Kraus 1 API 15-051-22129 | Aikins & Owen | Kraus | 3850 | 1981 | — |
| Meier 5 API 15-051-22343 | R.p. Nixon Operations | Kraus | 3880 | 1981 | — |
| Sunley-moser 7 API 15-051-22390 | Griggs Oil | Kraus | 3797 | 1981 | — |
| Kraus, Harold 3 API 15-051-22431 | Weilert Enterprises | Kraus | 3850 | 1981 | — |
| Kraus, Donald - South 1 API 15-051-22571 | Weilert, Michael D. Oil CO | Kraus | 3790 | 1981 | — |
| Meier 4 API 15-051-01705-0001 | R.p. Nixon Operations | Kraus | 3794 | 1981 | — |
| Wilson 1 API 15-051-21319-0001 | C C & S Oil Operations | Kraus | 3765 | 1981 | — |
| Irvin 1 API 15-051-21837 | Frontier Oil | Kraus | 3830 | 1980 | — |
| Kraus 5 API 15-051-01696-0001 | Witcraft Bill | Kraus | 3977 | 1980 | — |
| Von Feldt 1 API 15-051-21746-0001 | Rare, INC | Kraus | 3858 | 1980 | — |
| Kraus, H 1 API 15-051-21732 | Weilert, Michael D. Oil CO | Kraus | 3789 | 1979 | — |
| Irvin 2 API 15-051-21741 | Martin Oil | Kraus | 3840 | 1979 | — |
| Kramer 4 API 15-051-21833 | N-b CO | Kraus | 4014 | 1979 | — |
| Kraus, John 1 API 15-051-21538 | Witcraft Bill | Kraus | 0 | 1978 | — |
| Kraus 2 API 15-051-21459 | Witcraft Bill | Kraus | 3798 | 1978 | — |
| Von Feldt 9 API 15-051-21488 | Frontier Oil | Kraus | 3822 | 1978 | — |
| Kinderknecht B 4 API 15-051-21534 | Frontier Oil | Kraus | 3850 | 1978 | — |
| Sunley-moser 3 API 15-051-21293 | Barnett Oil | Kraus | 3755 | 1977 | — |
| Feitz 7 API 15-051-21313 | Frontier Oil | Kraus | 3776 | 1977 | — |
| Sunley-moser 4 API 15-051-21327 | Barnett Oil | Kraus | 3950 | 1977 | — |
| Kraus B Owwo 1 API 15-051-17549 | J & W Oil CO | Kraus | 3819 | 1977 | — |
| Kraus-perry 1 API 15-051-20495 | Jayhawk Oil | Kraus | 3870 | 1969 | — |
| Kuhn 1 API 15-051-20523 | Aspen Drlg | Kraus | 3767 | 1969 | — |
| Johnson 1 API 15-051-20285 | Braden Drlg CO INC | Kraus | 3820 | 1968 | — |
| Kraus 1 API 15-051-20356 | Tipton Alvin E | Kraus | 3783 | 1968 | — |
| Weber, John 1 API 15-051-20363 | Dane G. Hansen Trust | Kraus | 3760 | 1968 | — |
| Kraus, Carl W 1 API 15-051-20367 | National Associated Petroleum CO | Kraus | 3888 | 1968 | — |
| Von Feldt 2 API 15-051-20130 | James W. Hershberger | Kraus | 3870 | 1967 | — |
| Von Feldt 1 API 15-051-30536 | Hershberger Expl | Kraus | 3858 | 1967 | — |
| Johnson, B 1 API 15-051-30342 | Dreiling Oil, INC | Kraus | 3822 | 1966 | — |
| Feitz 1 API 15-051-30411 | Rains & Williamson Oil Co. INC | Kraus | 3763 | 1966 | — |
| Kramer 1 API 15-051-30010 | Woodman-iannitti Oil & Stewert Bailey | Kraus | 3825 | 1965 | — |
| Perry 5 API 15-051-30011 | Shields Oil Producers INC | Kraus | 3772 | 1965 | — |
| Kinderknecht A 1 API 15-051-30184 | Frontier Oil | Kraus | 3868 | 1965 | — |
| Sunley 4 API 15-051-30637 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3815 | 1965 | — |
| Perry 1 API 15-051-01019 | Leo J. Dreiling & Sons | Kraus | 3847 | 1965 | — |
| Kraus 'a' 1 API 15-051-73895 | Raymond Oil Co., INC | Kraus | 3851 | 1964 | — |
| Yarnell 1 API 15-051-03808 | Raymond Oil Co., INC | Kraus | 3782 | 1963 | — |
| Haas B 1 API 15-051-01572 | Petroleum INC | Kraus | 3442 | 1963 | — |
| Orth 1 API 15-051-01573 | Abercrombie Drlg | Kraus | 3920 | 1963 | — |
| Sunley 1 API 15-051-03084 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3789 | 1962 | — |
| Sunley 2 API 15-051-03085 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3777 | 1962 | — |
| Sunley 3 API 15-051-03086 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3794 | 1962 | — |
| Kraus, G 5 API 15-051-03843 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3825 | 1962 | — |
| Kraus, J 1 API 15-051-03844 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3781 | 1962 | — |
| Feitz 'b' 4 API 15-051-73955 | Shields Oil Producers INC | Kraus | 3789 | 1962 | — |
| Kraus 3 API 15-051-03801 | Petroleum INC | Kraus | 3808 | 1961 | — |
| Feitz 'b' 1 API 15-051-03807 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3850 | 1961 | — |
| Kraus, H 2 API 15-051-73919 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3773 | 1961 | — |
| Kraus 1 API 15-051-73916 | Texaco INC | Kraus | 3763 | 1961 | — |
| Kraus 'b' 4 API 15-051-03058 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3834 | 1960 | — |
| Kraus 2 API 15-051-03060 | Petroleum, INC | Kraus | 3820 | 1960 | — |
| Kraus 2 API 15-051-03062 | Tennessee Gas Transmission | Kraus | 3900 | 1960 | — |
| Kraus 3 API 15-051-03063 | Tennessee Gas Transmission | Kraus | 3887 | 1960 | — |
| Kraus 'a' 7 API 15-051-03071 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3730 | 1960 | — |
| Kraus 'f' 1 API 15-051-03850 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3795 | 1960 | — |
| Kraus 'b' 3 API 15-051-73904 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3798 | 1960 | — |
| Kraus, H 1 API 15-051-73924 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3779 | 1960 | — |
| Kraus 'd' 2 API 15-051-73945 | Frontier Oil Company | Kraus | 3788 | 1960 | — |
| Kraus ''d' 1 API 15-051-73942 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3822 | 1960 | — |
| Kraus 'g' 1 API 15-051-01667 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3805 | 1960 | — |
| Seitz 1 API 15-051-01703 | Frontier Oil | Kraus | 3798 | 1960 | — |
| Seitz 3 API 15-051-01705 | Frontier Oil | Kraus | 3794 | 1960 | — |
| Johnson 1 API 15-051-01729 | Frontier Oil Company | Kraus | 3775 | 1960 | — |
| Seitz 'a' 2 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3981 | 1960 | — |
| Seitz 'a' 1 API 15-051-73884 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3825 | 1959 | — |
| Kinderknecht 4 API 15-051-03056 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 4076 | 1959 | — |
| Kraus 'a' 2 API 15-051-03067 | Frontier Oil Company | Kraus | 3714 | 1959 | — |
| Kraus 1 API 15-051-03798 | Franco-central Oil CO | Kraus | 3900 | 1959 | — |
| Kraus 'c' 1 API 15-051-03851 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3823 | 1959 | — |
| Kramer Twin 1 API 15-051-70401 | Garvin Morris | Kraus | 3846 | 1959 | — |
| Kinderknecht 4 API 15-051-73851 | Petroleum INC | Kraus | 3821 | 1959 | — |
| Kraus 'e' 1 API 15-051-73855 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3801 | 1959 | — |
| Feitz 'b' 2 API 15-051-73953 | Shields Oil Producers INC | Kraus | 3800 | 1959 | — |
| Kraus 'b' 1 API 15-051-00319 | Frontier Oil Company | Kraus | 3780 | 1959 | — |
| Seitz 2 API 15-051-01704 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3832 | 1959 | — |
| Perry 3 API 15-051-03853 | Shields Oil Producers INC | Kraus | 3857 | 1959 | — |
| Perry 2 API 15-051-73869 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3790 | 1959 | — |
| Kraus, E 1 API 15-051-63800 | Gas Futures, LTD | Kraus | 3828 | 1958 | — |
| Von Feldt 6 API 15-051-03052 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3811 | 1958 | — |
| Kinderknecht 1 API 15-051-03053 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3792 | 1958 | — |
| Kinderknecht 2 API 15-051-03054 | Frontier Oil Company | Kraus | 3870 | 1958 | — |
| Kinderknecht 3 API 15-051-03055 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3815 | 1958 | — |
| Kraus 1 API 15-051-03947 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3820 | 1958 | — |
| Kinderknecht 3 API 15-051-03949 | Petroleum INC | Kraus | 3850 | 1958 | — |
| Kraus 1 API 15-051-03956 | Shields Oil Producers INC | Kraus | 3779 | 1958 | — |
| Riedel 1 API 15-051-01180 | Burch Drlg | Kraus | 3903 | 1958 | — |
| Perry 1 API 15-051-73868 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3812 | 1958 | — |
| Perry 2 API 15-051-03065 | Brunson Production & Exploration | Kraus | 3838 | 1957 | — |
| Carmichael 3 API 15-051-03939 | Phillips Petr Corp | Kraus | 3846 | 1957 | — |
| Von Feldt 'a' 1 API 15-051-03945 | Frontier Oil CO | Kraus | 3865 | 1957 | — |
| Kraus 'a' 1 API 15-051-03951 | Sunray Mid-continent Oil CO | Kraus | 3888 | 1957 | — |
| Seitz 'a' 1 API 15-051-05189 | National Cooperative Refinery Association | Kraus | 3820 | 1957 | — |
| Seitz 'a' 2 API 15-051-05190 | National Cooperative Refinery Association | Kraus | 3875 | 1957 | — |
| Kramer 'a' 1 API 15-051-05191 | Sterling Drilling Company | Kraus | 3822 | 1957 | — |
| Perry 1 API 15-051-05193 | Shields Oil Producers INC | Kraus | 3812 | 1957 | — |
| Perry 2 API 15-051-73909 | Shields Oil Producers INC | Kraus | 3811 | 1957 | — |
| Feitz 'b' 1 API 15-051-05547 | Walters Drilling CO | Kraus | 3800 | 1957 | — |
| Kinderknecht 2 API 15-051-06818 | Petroleum INC | Kraus | 3845 | 1957 | — |
| Dechant 1 API 15-051-00548 | Peel-hardman | Kraus | 3851 | 1957 | — |
| Wilson 1 API 15-051-00598 | Martin Oil | Kraus | 3785 | 1957 | — |
| Kramer 2 API 15-051-01360 | Chief Drilling Company | Kraus | 3870 | 1957 | — |
| Feitz 1 API 15-051-01362 | Walters Drilling | Kraus | 3820 | 1957 | — |
| Kinderknecht 1 API 15-051-01364 | Petroleum, INC | Kraus | 3814 | 1957 | — |
| Kramer 1 | Chief Drilling CO | Kraus | 3932 | 1957 | — |
| Kraus 1 API 15-051-03061 | Tennessee Gas Transmission | Kraus | 3777 | 1956 | — |
| Kinderknecht 2 API 15-051-03942 | Colorado Oil & Gas Corp | Kraus | 3895 | 1956 | — |
| Perry 1 API 15-051-03950 | Sterling Drilling Company Et Al | Kraus | 3852 | 1956 | — |
| Kraus 1 API 15-051-03955 | Petroleum INC | Kraus | 3843 | 1956 | — |
| Von Feldt 1 API 15-051-00404 | Colorado Oil & Gas | Kraus | 3852 | 1956 | — |
| Perry 1 API 15-051-00420 | Brunson Production & Exploration | Kraus | 3775 | 1956 | — |
| Weber 1 API 15-051-00576 | Brunson Production & Exploration | Kraus | 3810 | 1956 | — |
| Kramer 1 API 15-051-00437-0001 | Sterling Drilling CO | Kraus | 3895 | 1956 | — |
| Kraus 2 API 15-051-05192 | Sunray Oil Corp | Kraus | 3849 | 1955 | — |
| Kramer 1 API 15-051-00437 | Coppinger Drilling | Kraus | 3880 | 1955 | — |
| Riedel 1 API 15-051-00517 | Frontier Oil Company | Kraus | 3894 | 1955 | — |
| Kraus 1 API 15-051-00540 | Colorado Oil & Gas Company | Kraus | 3895 | 1955 | — |
| Kramer 1 API 15-051-01080 | Bay Petroleum Corp. Et Al | Kraus | 3927 | 1955 | — |
Fields of a comparable size
- Irvin 366
- Cherry Creek Niobrara Gas Area 358
- Hardtner 357
- Savonburg 357
- Rhodes 353
- Tyro 353
- Solomon 349
- Longanecker Southeast 348
- Elgin 347
- Greenwich 345
- Lindsborg 334
- Pawnee Rock 332
- Stranathan 329
- Hale-inge 320
- Wilson Creek 319
Neighbours by the number of wells, not a ranking: the list slides with the field, so every one of the 109 field pages is reachable from the others. All of them.