Nevada
Nevada third for federal oil potential in new study, but industry growth still unlikely
The federal government raised its estimate this week for how much oil and gas could be extracted from public lands in Nevada, placing the state third for oil potential.
Nevada holds 1.4 billion barrels of “undiscovered” oil beneath its public lands – only falling behind Alaska and New Mexico – and 1.2 billion cubic feet of gas, according to the newly compiled figures released by the U.S. Geological Survey last week.
“We think there’s resource potential there, and it just so happens there’s a lot of federal land,” said Chris Schenk, the lead author of the report.
The estimates are of “technically recoverable oil and gas resources” — many of which may not be economically viable to extract — that could be retrieved with current technologies. It’s the first time the agency has tallied the amount of oil and gas under national parks, wilderness areas and other public lands nationwide since 1998, according to Nevada Current.
Technology has improved significantly since then, increasing the estimated resources that could potentially be extracted from public lands, according to the report.
The analysis was prepared in response to a directive by the Trump administration to “unleash” domestic energy supplies. In February, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum directed his agencies to identify energy and critical minerals on public lands.
“American Energy Dominance is more important than ever, and this report underscores the critical role science plays in informing our energy future,” Burgum said in a press release announcing the study.
The report also comes as Republicans in Congress try to push a proposal that would allow the federal government to sell off several million acres of public land in Nevada, Utah and other Western states.
Nationally, the analysis estimated 29.4 billion barrels of oil and 391.6 trillion cubic feet of gas lie below all federal lands – enough oil to meet the county’s needs for four years and a dozen years in the case of natural gas.
The last federal analysis of undiscovered oil and gas resources on public lands in 1998, estimated about 7.8 billion barrels of oil and 201 trillion cubic feet of gas.
Schenk, the lead author of the report, said the analysis uses decades of federal data to estimate the potential for oil and gas where it hasn’t been discovered yet, but there’s still room for “uncertainty.”
“Whenever you’re exploring for resources, whether it’s minerals or oil and gas, there’s uncertainty before you drill,” Schenk said. “There’s a lot of uncertainty, because it’s undiscovered.”
That uncertainty is reflected in the lack of oil and gas leasing in Nevada, despite available data pointing to potential sources in the state.
Nevada lease sales have long drawn little interest from industry. It’s not uncommon for large swaths of nominated land to never get a bid.
For example, the Bureau of Land Management offered five oil and gas parcels in Nevada totaling 6,800 acres this week. None of the parcels received a single bid. Those same parcels also failed to attract any industry interest in 2023 and 2024.
“We recognize that interest in Nevada is lower than other states in the West where development is more economical, such as New Mexico and Wyoming. The scale of this auction, for instance, was small relative to others,” said Aaron Johnson, the vice president of public and legislative affairs for the Western Energy Alliance trade group.
When land does get leased for oil and gas development, it underperforms in auction. From 2015 to 2024, the average bid per acre in Nevada was just $4.10—compared to $4,900 per acre in New Mexico.
Still, the Trump administration has pushed to lease more of Nevada’s public lands including 264,000 acres of public land in Elko County’s Ruby Mountains, a popular hunting and outdoor recreation site in Nevada.
Drilling opponents remain skeptical that there’s much oil and gas in Nevada or that extracting it would make economic sense any time soon. They think the development push is rooted in speculation.
“We’ve been leasing these low potential lands since the 1950s,” said Russell Kuhlman, the executive director of the Nevada Wildlife Federation. “We have yet to find anything that would get the oil and gas industry excited.”
Kuhlman said speculative oil and gas leasing in Nevada removes land that would be better suited for the recreation economy, wildlife conservation, or renewable energy development in the state.
Over 90 percent of public lands managed by the Interior Department in Nevada are available to be leased for oil and gas drilling. Once leased, public lands are locked up from being managed for multiple uses such as outdoor recreation and conservation for the life of the lease, which could be 10, 20 or even 30 years.
“That’s really where the issue is, once land is identified as an oil and gas lease, it’s essentially put in that folder and forgotten about by the Bureau of Land Management,” Kuhlman said.
Lake Tahoe, NV (Amazing America TV) — If you ever wanted to feel like Disney’s Snow White, with little songbirds eating out of your hand, we’ve got just the trail for you.
Lake Tahoe, Nevada, is home to the Chickadee Ridge Snowshoe Hike, and to say it’s sprinkled with magic is an understatement.
The trail is just over two miles round trip, with plenty to see. While chickadees are abundant, it takes patience and exploration to get the best chance of a visit from one of these songbirds.
They get their name from the “chick-a-dee-dee-dee” call they make, which is also part of their survival arsenal. The number of “dee” notes can signal the level of threat from predators.
These hardy little birds thrive in winter by lowering their body temperature. If you want to bring something safe to feed them, bring black oil sunflower seeds or unsalted pine nuts.
As for the trail, expect beautiful views and plenty of pine trees.
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
For more amazing stories, click here to subscribe to Amazing America TV on YouTube and follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
NORTH LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Nevada State University is moving closer to expanding its campus to North Las Vegas.
The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents’ budget committee approved the plan on Thursday.
The new campus is set to be located near Lake Mead and Las Vegas Boulevard.
North Las Vegas officials have expressed optimism about the expansion, stating it will “fundamentally change not only the landscape of the area … but career pathways for North Las Vegas residents.”
The full board is expected to give final approval on Friday.
HAWTHORNE, Nev. (KOLO) – The Nevada National Guard says it will be opening the first Army qualified firing range in the state of Nevada.
The Guard will be opening the range on Friday in Hawthorne.
The new range will allow soldiers to meet military marksmanship standards without having to leave the state.
The Guard has sent more than 1,000 soldiers out of state to meet marksmanship standards since 2019, incurring substantial costs for travel, meals and lodging.
The $20 million depot will include 16 lanes for rifle training, 15 for pistol training four lanes for machine guns and seven buildings.
Copyright 2025 KOLO. All rights reserved.
San Diego’s holiday pop-up bars offer a cup of cheer. Here’s where to eat, drink and be merry
What to know about nuisance properties and how to hold owners accountable
Atlanta author Felicia Feaster can help you design a Gothic garden
ICE agents enter Minneapolis restaurant without signed warrant – MinnPost
ISP: Indianapolis Man Arrested for Shooting Two Kirklin Town Marshals
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
FBI director suggests ‘sheer incompetence’ or ‘negligence’ in Biden admin handling of pipe bomb case
Russian gas and oil in Europe are done for good, Energy Commissioner tells Euronews
The World Cup draw is here. Here’s why it matters — and how it will work
Ex–New York State official accused of spying for China called Hochul ‘more obedient’ than Cuomo, trial reveals
Putin challenges US pressure on India over Russian oil during state visit
-
Politics3 days agoTrump rips Somali community as federal agents reportedly eye Minnesota enforcement sweep
-
News3 days agoTrump threatens strikes on any country he claims makes drugs for US
-
World3 days agoHonduras election council member accuses colleague of ‘intimidation’
-
Technology1 week agoNew scam sends fake Microsoft 365 login pages
-
Ohio1 day agoWho do the Ohio State Buckeyes hire as the next offensive coordinator?
-
Politics1 week agoRep. Swalwell’s suit alleges abuse of power, adds to scrutiny of Trump official’s mortgage probes
-
News1 week ago2 National Guard members wounded in ‘targeted’ attack in D.C., authorities say
-
Ohio1 week agoSnow set to surge across Northeast Ohio, threatening Thanksgiving travel