Wichita ? A federal judge has granted a Nebraska gas firm immediate access to 9,100 condemned acres in south-central Kansas at the center of a fight over gas seeping from the company’s underground storage facility.

U.S. District Judge Monti Belot on Tuesday issued a preliminary injunction sought by Northern Natural Gas Co. prohibiting owners of gas wells on the properties from using them to develop other underground formations.

Northern wants to use the existing wells to inject water underground to stem the seepage of gas from storage. It also wants authority to enter affected properties.

Belot’s order requires the company to posts bonds of $7.8 million. That’s in addition to depositing $2.67 million on which property owners can draw until compensation for the condemnation is resolved.