County’s first ‘fracking’ well approved

The first oil well in Marion County to use hydraulic fracturing — “fracking” — has been approved by the Kansas Corporation Commission Oil & Gas Conservation Division.

A notice of intent to drill by Zenergy Operating Company LLC of Tulsa, Okla., was approved Dec. 14 for a lease on land in Section 30, Township 19, Range 2 near the intersection of U.S. 56 and Goldenrod Road northwest of Hillsboro. Kevin Jost owns the land. Zenergy Operating said in the notice that it expected to begin drilling Dec. 20.

“Most intent to drills are followed through on, but not all of them,” County Appraiser Cindy Magill said.

Fracking uses a mixture of water, sand, and other additives to crack rock formations so they release oil or gas contained in them. Fracking is done after drilling but before pumping, according to the Oil & Gas Conservation Division. It also says the mixture is 98 percent water and sand, with 2 percent or less of other additives.

Those other additives include:

• Common salt.
• Potassium chloride.
• Citric acid.
• Other acids.
• Glutaraldehyde (used in disinfectants and medical sterilizers).
• N,n-dimethyl formamide (used in pharmaceuticals, acrylic fibers, and plastics).
• Borate salts (used in laundry detergents, hand soaps, and cosmetics).
• Polyacrylamide (used in water treatment and as a soil conditioner).
• Petroleum distillates (used in makeup remover, laxatives, and candy).
• Guar gum (a thickener used in cosmetics and food).
• Ammonium bisulfate (used in cosmetics, food and beverage processing, and water treatment).
• Sodium or potassium carbonate (used in washing soda, detergents, soap, water softener, and glass and ceramics).
• Ethylene glycol (used in automotive antifreeze, household cleaners, de-icing, and caulk).
• And isopropanol (used in class cleaners, antiperspirants, and hair coloring).

The well on Jost’s land is projected to go to a total depth of 5,138 feet, in the Mississippian rock formation. Magill said the formation lends itself to fracking.

“Some people don’t like [fracking], that are environmentalists,” Magill said.

The Oil & Gas Conservation Division says fracking can make wells that wouldn’t otherwise be profitable into competitive wells.