2,242 wells across 170 active operators, with 0 drilling permits filed in the last 24 months.
Refreshed monthly from KCC well-header records. Data current as of 2026-08-24.
Quick answer: The Niobrara East formation in Kansas has 2,242 wells on record across 170 active operators, with 0 drilling permits filed in the last 24 months (as of 2026-08-24). Its most active operators by well count are Own Resources Operating, Murfin Drilling, Smith Oil & Gas, Rosewood Resources and Lobo Production. Compiled from Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) well-header records, refreshed monthly.
The operators with the most well counts targeting the Niobrara East formation in Kansas:
| # | Operator | Wells in Niobrara East |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Own Resources Operating | 505 |
| 2 | Murfin Drilling | 238 |
| 3 | Smith Oil & Gas | 191 |
| 4 | Rosewood Resources | 161 |
| 5 | Lobo Production | 159 |
| 6 | Pdc Energy | 133 |
| 7 | Noble Energy | 118 |
| 8 | Priority Oil & Gas | 41 |
| 9 | Rockin G Energy | 35 |
| 10 | Foundation Energy Management | 35 |
The Kansas counties with the most Niobrara East activity:
Cheyenne, Sherman, Rawlins, Thomas, Sheridan
The Niobrara East is one of Kansas's active oil and gas plays, with 2,242 wells on file across 170 distinct operators of record. Operators have filed 0 drilling permits targeting the Niobrara East in the last 24 months — a measure of how active the play is right now versus its historical baseline.
For mineral owners with interests in Cheyenne, Sherman, Rawlins, Thomas, Sheridan, knowing whether your tract sits within an active Niobrara East footprint is a foundational valuation question. Active formations with consistent permit flow command premium pricing; legacy formations with steady but declining production are valued differently.
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2,242 wells target the Niobrara East in Kansas, worked by 170 active operators, per KCC well-header records (as of 2026-08-24).
By well count, the most active Niobrara East operators in Kansas are Own Resources Operating, Murfin Drilling, Smith Oil & Gas, Rosewood Resources and Lobo Production. The full ranking is in the table on this page.
Operators filed 0 drilling permits targeting the Niobrara East in the last 24 months — a live measure of current activity, per KCC records.
Operators filed 0 new drilling permits targeting the Niobrara East in Kansas over the last 24 months. New permits and spuds are the clearest signal of active Niobrara East drilling, per KCC records (as of 2026-08-24).
Niobrara East activity in Kansas currently spans 2,242 wells on record and 170 active operators, led by Own Resources Operating, Murfin Drilling, Smith Oil & Gas, Rosewood Resources and Lobo Production, with 0 drilling permits filed in the last 24 months — refreshed monthly from Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) well-header records (as of 2026-08-24).
The most active Niobrara East counties in Kansas are Cheyenne, Sherman, Rawlins, Thomas, Sheridan.
Value depends on your net mineral acres or royalty decimal, the operator, the remaining drilling locations, and current oil and gas prices. Buckhead Energy checks your tract against current Niobrara East well and permit data and puts a free, no-obligation written offer in writing — this page is informational only, not a valuation.
Cite this dataset
Permanently archived and citable via a DOI on Zenodo (CERN), under a CC BY 4.0 license. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.21442884 · View on Zenodo
License & attribution: This data is licensed CC BY 4.0. You are free to share and adapt it, including commercially, provided you credit “Buckhead Energy” and link back to this page or the DOI above.
Get a free written offer based on your specific tract, operator, and the current Niobrara East activity in your area.
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Formation: Niobrara East
State: Kansas
Total wells: 2,242
Active operators: 170
Permits 24mo: 0
Last refresh: 2026-08-24