Some info on oil wells in Missouri:
'According to Missouri's Ministry of Natural Resources website well data, there are currently only 1022 active wells as of 15 March 2021. 253 of the 1022 wells have a depth of less than 400 ft, 599 wells have a depth between 400 ft to 800 ft while the rest have an average depth of 800 feet to 1800 feet. Only 18 wells have a depth of more than 1800 feet [3]. Southwest Missouri heavy oil has an API gravity of 17- 21.[5] The viscosity of the crude oil ranges between 1000 and 10000 cp. It also contains 14.8 percent asphaltene. The average well depth is 150 ft to 250 ft, porosity is 23.5 %, permeability is around 375 md, the reservoir pressure is 50 Psi and temperature is 50 oF.'
Quote from Muhammad Ali
Research Fellow @ Missouri University of Science and Technology
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Brad Kramer is the owner of Kansas Resources Exploration and Development. The company manages oil wells in Kansas and Missouri and is the largest producer in Missouri, accounting for more than half of 2021's oil production.
Kramer said Missouri's production levels are not because of regulatory restraints.
"From the time I file a permit to drill, you're probably talking less than one week to have it approved," he said. "There are sites to drill. Regulation is not an issue. It's just, frankly, having the money to go do it. It's what's holding back most people that are in this area that I know."
The type of oil in Missouri is also different than the kind found in other states. Missouri's oil is found much shallower in the ground.
"The wells aren't as deep and so the product tends to be heavier," Steele said. "It's just harder to get out of the ground, costs more money. And that's the biggest reason why we aren't seeing higher levels of production right now in the state."
Kramer noted that smaller producers struggle to collect capital to invest in new drilling operations, which limits how fast expansion can happen.
Steele said Missouri production used to be more robust than it is now.
"You can kind of look at the production over time in Missouri, and it's declined, along with energy prices declining," Steele said. "So, given the energy and price increases over the last few weeks, we have seen a few producers that are starting to open up some shut-in wells."
