XTO Energy/ExxonMobil: Omissions of quantity data

Summary: FracFocus disclosures that omit fundamental quantity information undermine the integrity of the fracking chemical data. Open-FF (1) found that the operator XTO Energy/ExxonMobil published 989 disclosures with quantity data missing for at least some records. We summarize those omissions here.

A chemical disclosure instrument such as FracFocus depends on accurate and complete data. Individual disclosures with poor or missing data can erode the trust of users for the entire system. FracFocus, unfortunately, has many disclosures with missing data. This post is part of Open-FF’s effort to improve FracFocus data integrity and to alert stakeholders to these data weaknesses.

Along with the identity of a chemical used in a fracking operation, the quantity is critical information. The range of material quantities reported in FracFocus stretches from less than one pound to over a million pounds. When quantity data is missing, a reader of a disclosure won’t be able to tell if, say, a hydrochloric acid record is for one pound or one million pounds – the difference between a small jar’s worth and many tanker trucks full.

XTO Energy/ExxonMobil omissions

We’ve found many such data omissions (2) in the disclosures of the operating company, XTO Energy/ExxonMobil. As of this date, we’ve found 989 disclosures with at least one omission, or 15.7% of all of the company’s disclosures (example). The following chart shows when those fracking jobs occurred and how many records were missing data.

Compared to other companies

More than half of all operators reporting to FracFocus had NO records with quantity omissions. In the following graph, each point is an operator. The companies without omissions are not on this graph. Just 25% of companies are above the horizontal line, and 25% to the right of the vertical line. XTO Energy/ExxonMobil is highlighted in orange. Although this company is not in the upper 25% by percentage of affected disclosures, it has one of the highest numbers of total affected records.  Clearly a small fraction of companies account for much of the lacking records and XTO Energy/ExxonMobil is part of that club.

Which states?

These flawed disclosures are for fracking jobs in the following states.

State	number of disclosures with omissions
Texas	723
New Mexico	136
North Dakota	77
Pennsylvania	19
Oklahoma	10
Louisiana	8
Ohio	5
Arkansas	4
West Virginia	3
Montana	2
Utah	1
California	1

Which chemicals?

The following table lists the materials for which quantity was omitted and how many records of XTO Energy/ExxonMobil were affected.

CASRN	Name	Molecular structure	Number of missing values
77-92-9	Citric acid		177
111-46-6	Diethylene glycol		157
75-07-0	Acetaldehyde		155
71-23-8	1-Propanol		155
9082-00-2	Poly(propyleneoxy/ethyleneoxy)glycerol	no image	155
52624-57-4	Ethoxylated, propoxylated trimethylolpropane	no image	155
108-20-3	Isopropyl ether		155
68513-87-1	Tar bases, quinoline derivs.	no image	155
12125-02-9	Ammonium chloride		138
5064-31-3	Glycine, N,N-bis(carboxymethyl)-, trisodium salt		130
9003-05-8	Polyacrylamide		96
64-19-7	Acetic acid		88
50-00-0	Formaldehyde		84
84133-50-6	Alcohols, C12-14-secondary, ethoxylated	no image	67
68439-70-3	Amines, C12-16-alkyldimethyl	no image	66
104-55-2	3-Phenylprop-2-enal		65
68609-68-7	1-Hexanol, 2-ethyl-, manuf. of, by-products from, distn. residues	no image	64
34590-94-8	Dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether		64
98-86-2	Acetophenone		60
111-42-2	Diethanolamine		60
67-63-0	Isopropanol		59
68953-58-2	Quaternary ammonium compounds, bis(hydrogenated tallow alkyl)dimethyl, salts with bentonite	no image	54
67-56-1	Methanol		49
7173-51-5	Didecyldimethylammonium chloride		43
68551-12-2	Alcohols, C12-16, ethoxylated	no image	42
107-19-7	Propargyl alcohol		41
1310-73-2	Sodium hydroxide		35
61791-26-2	PEG-10 Hydrogenated tallow amine	no image	28
127-08-2	Potassium acetate		25
64-17-5	Ethanol		24
68002-97-1	Ethoxylated C10-16 alcohols	no image	23
123-91-1	1,4-Dioxane		23
75-21-8	Ethylene oxide		23
75-56-9	(+/-)-1,2-Propylene oxide		23
127087-87-0	Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl),alpha-(4-nonylphenyl)-omega-hydroxy-,branched	no image	19
143-18-0	Potassium oleate		18
14808-60-7	Quartz (SiO2)	no image	17
9000-30-0	alpha-D-Galactopyrano-beta-D-mannopyranan	no image	16
112-80-1	Oleic acid		16
68131-71-5	Triethanolamine polyphosphate ester	no image	15
8001-79-4	Castor oil	no image	15
107-21-1	Ethylene glycol		15
7631-86-9	Silica		14
9043-30-5	Polyoxyethylene isotridecyl ether		14
7647-01-0	Hydrochloric acid		13
93-83-4	Oleic acid diethanolamide		13
111-76-2	2-Butoxyethanol		12
9002-84-0	Polytetrafluoroethylene		12
68603-42-9	Amides, coco, N,N-bis(hydroxyethyl)	no image	11
120313-48-6	Alcohols, C12-15-branched and linear, ethoxylated propoxylated	no image	11
100-97-0	Methenamine		11
68424-85-1	C12-16-Alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chlorides		10
79-06-1	Acrylamide		10
27306-79-2	Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), alpha-tetradecyl-omega-hydroxy-	no image	10
9005-65-6	Polysorbate 80	no image	10
100-41-4	Ethylbenzene		10
1344-28-1	Alumina	no image	10
111-30-8	Glutaraldehyde		10
112-88-9	1-Octadecene		9
9004-32-4	Edifas B	no image	9
81741-28-8	Tributyltetradecylphosphonium chloride		8
111-87-5	1-Octanol		8
9003-35-4	Bakelite	no image	8
112-30-1	1-Decanol		8
78-40-0	Triethyl phosphate		8
9016-45-9	Nonylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol		8
52-51-7	Bronopol		7
556-67-2	Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane		7
9016-88-0	1,4-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, polymer with 1,2-ethanediol and .alpha.-hydro-.omega.-hydroxypoly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl)	no image	7
13598-36-2	Phosphonic acid		7
540-97-6	Dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane		7
541-02-6	Decamethylcyclopentasiloxane		7
16481-66-6	Potassium metaborate (KBO2) hydrate(3:4)		7
39322-78-6	Potassium lauryl phosphate	no image	7
69227-21-0	Alcohols, C12-18, ethoxylated propoxylated	no image	7
1303-96-4	Borax (B4Na2O7.10H2O)	no image	7
72283-36-4	Oxirane, 2-methyl-, polymer with oxirane, mono-(9Z)-9-octadecenoate, methyl ether	no image	7
10043-52-4	Calcium chloride		7
31017-83-1	POLY(OXY-1,2-ETHANEDIYL), ALPHA,ALPHA’-[(DODECYLIMINO)DI-2,1-ETHANEDIYL]BIS[OMEGA-HYDROXY-	no image	7
67762-90-7	Siloxanes and Silicones, di-Me, reaction products with silica	no image	7
112-53-8	1-Dodecanol		7
7758-98-7	Copper sulfate		7
7664-38-2	Phosphoric acid		6
8042-47-5	White mineral oil, petroleum	no image	6
67-48-1	2-Hydroxy-N,N,N-trimethylethan-1-aminium chloride		6
78330-21-9	Alcohols, C11-14-isoalcohols, C13-rich, ethoxylated	no image	6
68991-48-0	Alcohols, C7-21, ethoxylated	no image	6
1338-43-8	Sorbitan, mono-(9Z)-9-octadecenoate		5
68439-46-3	Alcohols, C9-11, ethoxylated	no image	5
7446-09-5	Sulfur dioxide		5
64742-47-8	Distillates (petroleum), hydrotreated light	no image	5
11138-66-2	Corn sugar gum	no image	4
139-07-1	Benzyldimethyldodecylammonium chloride		4
122-18-9	Benzylhexadecyldimethylammonium chloride		4
139-08-2	Tetradecyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride		4
139-33-3	Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, disodium salt		4
63148-62-9	Siloxanes and Silicones, di-Me	no image	4
9002-92-0	Polyoxyethylene dodecyl mono ether		4
7632-00-0	Sodium nitrite		4
629-73-2	1-Hexadecene		4
150-38-9	Trisodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate		4
56-81-5	Glycerol		4
25322-68-3	Polyethylene glycol		4
26062-79-3	Polyquaternium-6	no image	4
9004-77-7	Polyethylene glycol monobutyl ether	no image	4
91-20-3	Naphthalene		4
95-63-6	1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene		4
2634-33-5	1,2-Benzisothiazolin-3-one		4
64742-94-5	Solvent naphtha, petroleum, heavy arom.	no image	4
533-74-4	Dazomet		4
12045-78-2	Boron potassium oxide (B4K2O7), tetrahydrate		3
557-04-0	Magnesium stearate		3
7664-93-9	Sulfuric acid		3
2682-20-4	2-Methyl-3(2H)-isothiazolone		3
10049-04-4	Chlorine dioxide		3
7722-84-1	Hydrogen peroxide		3
36089-45-9	2-Propenoic acid, 2-ethylhexyl ester, polymer with 2-hydroxyethyl 2-propenoate	no image	3
25085-02-3	Acrylamide-sodium acrylate copolymer	no image	3
68991-52-6	C10-16 alkenes	no image	3
66455-14-9	Alcohols, C12-13, ethoxylated	no image	3
68937-55-3	Siloxanes and Silicones, di-Me, 3-hydroxypropyl Me, ethoxylated propoxylated	no image	3
108-32-7	Propylene carbonate		3
9003-11-6	Poloxalene	no image	3
9004-62-0	Hydroxyethylcellulose	no image	3
68308-89-4	Fatty acids, C18-unsatd., dimers, ethoxylated propoxylated	no image	3
10377-60-3	Magnesium nitrate		3
9012-54-8	Cellulase	no image	3
61790-69-0	Fatty acids, tall-oil, reaction products with diethylenetriamine	no image	3
61790-12-3	Fatty acids, tall-oil	no image	3
68526-83-0	Alcohols, C7-9-iso-, C8-rich	no image	3
57-55-6	1,2-Propylene glycol		3
1330-20-7	Xylenes		3
79-21-0	Peracetic acid		3
26172-55-4	5-Chloro-2-methyl-3(2H)-isothiazolone		3
10222-01-2	2,2-Dibromo-3-nitrilopropionamide		2
9003-06-9	Acrylamide-acrylic acid copolymer	no image	2
104-76-7	2-Ethyl-1-hexanol		2
68648-87-3	Benzene, C10-16-alkyl derivatives	no image	2
68123-18-2	Phenol, 4,4′-(1-methylethylidene)bis-, polymer with 2-(chloromethyl)oxirane, 2-methyloxirane and oxirane	no image	2
71011-25-1	Quaternary ammonium compounds, benzyl(hydrogenated tallow alkyl)dimethyl, bis(hydrogenated tallow alkyl)dimethylammonium salt with bentonite	no image	2
69418-26-4	Polyquaternium-33	no image	2
27176-87-0	Dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid		2
3252-43-5	Dibromoacetonitrile		2
35657-77-3	[[(Phosphonomethyl)imino]bis[6,1-hexanediylnitrilobis(methylene)]]tetrakis-phosphonic acid, sodium salt (1:x)	no image	2
68990-47-6	Fatty acids, tall-oil, reaction products with diethylenetriamine, maleic anhydride, tetraethylenepentamine and triethylenetetramine	no image	2
52501-07-2	Aziridine, polymer with methyloxirane and oxirane	no image	2
64-02-8	Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid tetrasodium salt		2
1319-33-1	Ulexite	no image	2
66455-15-0	Alcohols, C10-14, ethoxylated	no image	2
68527-49-1	Thiourea, polymer with formaldehyde and 1-phenylethanone	no image	2
112-40-3	Dodecane		1
100-44-7	Benzyl chloride		1
629-59-4	Tetradecane		1
9004-96-0	Poly(oxyethylene) monoleate		1
55566-30-8	Tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium sulfate		1
629-50-5	Tridecane		1
14807-96-6	Talc	no image	1
584-08-7	Potassium carbonate		1
34398-01-1	Polyoxyethylene monoundecyl ether		1
91053-39-3	Diatomaceous earth, calcined	no image	1
6381-77-7	Sodium erythorbate		1
64742-65-0	Distillates, petroleum, solvent-dewaxed heavy paraffinic	no image	1
14464-46-1	Cristobalite	no image	1
141-43-5	Ethanolamine		1
64741-66-8	Naphtha, petroleum, light alkylate	no image	1
125005-87-0	Diutan gum	no image	1
110-17-8	Fumaric acid		1
1338-41-6	Anhydrosorbitol stearate	no image	1
8007-43-0	Sorbitan sesquioleate	no image	1
1332-77-0	Boron potassium oxide (B4K2O7)		1
68951-67-7	Alcohols, C14-15, ethoxylated	no image	1
1310-58-3	Potassium hydroxide		1
7786-30-3	Magnesium dichloride		1
7783-20-2	Ammonium sulfate		1
69011-36-5	Polyoxyethylene trimethyldecyl alcohol	no image	1
7757-82-6	Sodium sulfate anhydrous		1
7727-54-0	Diammonium peroxydisulfate		1
26100-47-0	Ammonium acrylate-acrylamide copolymer	no image	1

The numbers in this post reflect a FracFocus data set downloaded in January 2025. For more up-to-date statistics, visit this link.

SEPARATORS

Endnotes

1. Open-FF is a public service project, independent of FracFocus, that aims to foster better understanding of chemical uses of the fracking industry by organizing and analyzing chemical disclosures of FracFocus. To see company-specific information about XTO Energy/ExxonMobil, visit this page.
2. The values that are omitted are in the “PercentHFJob” data field which represents the percentage (by mass) of the total fracking fluid. This number is usually less that 1% but because the mass of the total fluid is enormous – often greater that 100 million pounds – the actual mass of the chemical component can be quite large.
3. The numbers in this post reflect a FracFocus data set downloaded in January 2025. For more up-to-date statistics, visit this link.
4. Title image credit: Becky Mansfield, modified by author
5. Chemical images credit: EPA Comptox