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Each year, the Center for Western Priorities analyzes oil and gas spills data collected by Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming—the West’s top oil and gas-producing states.
This year’s report found there were at least 2,709 drilling-related spills in 2024 in Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming (combined). These spills contained at least 7 million gallons of crude oil and other hazardous liquids.
Operators in New Mexico and Colorado reported fewer drilling-related spills in 2024 than 2023, while the number of reported spills as well as the amount of drilling-related liquid spilled in Wyoming went up in 2024. The volume of liquid spilled in New Mexico has gone down two years in a row, since the state began issuing fines for spills in 2021.
Operators in New Mexico also reported a 43 percent decrease in the amount of methane, or natural gas, wasted through venting and flaring in 2024 as compared to 2023. Altogether, operators captured over 99 percent of the methane that was produced in the state in 2024. However, operators in New Mexico still wasted a combined 11.5 billion cubic feet of methane through venting and flaring in 2024.
“If there’s one thing to take away from this report, it’s that oil and gas production is inherently dangerous. It defiles our physical environment and contributes to climate change. And while strong regulations and fines seem to help, there’s no way to produce oil and gas without the occurrence of spills, venting, and flaring,” said report author Kate Groetzinger.
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I fear some members of Congress are taking the continued support of sportsmen for granted... For sportsmen, selling millions of acres of our federal lands in a fast-tracked budget reconciliation effort is unacceptable.”
