Approximately 188 new fields and pools were discovered in Kansas during the year 1956, most of which were named by the Nomenclature Committee of the Kansas Geological Society. The total of 188 discoveries includes 152 oil discoveries, 33 gas discoveries, and 3 oil and gas. In addition there were 22 discoveries of deeper production in previously producing pools; there were 35 discoveries of shallower production in previously producing pools. Of the total new discoveries, 24 were in the new-field category, the remainder new-pool discoveries.

Kansas produced 124,467,713 bbls. of oil, 4,747,247 bbls. of natural gasoline and LPG, and 525,931,757 MCF of gas in 1956. These production figures place Kansas again in fifth place in national production, the place it has held for many years.

There were no successful wildcat tests in Iowa or Nebraska (east of the 98th Meridian); Missouri had one successful new-field wildcat, in Clinton County.