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July 8, 2014

Wyoming, Gulf of Mexico dominate fossil fuels production on federal and Indian lands

Graph of fossil fuel production on federal and Indian lands by state or region, as explained in the article text
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration based on U.S. Department of the Interior

Sales volumes of fossil fuels from production on federal and Indian lands in fiscal year (FY) 2013 varied widely across states, according to data from the Department of the Interior compiled and summarized in a recent EIA report. This is the first time this annual EIA report provides detailed information by state.

Some highlights from the report include:

  • Fossil fuels. Wyoming and the federal Gulf of Mexico together produced 73% of the federal and Indian lands fossil fuels total in FY 2013. New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah were the next largest production states.
  • Crude oil. The federal Gulf of Mexico produced 69% of the federal and Indian lands crude oil total in FY 2013. New Mexico, North Dakota, and Wyoming were the next largest crude oil producers on federal and Indian lands. Crude oil production on federal and Indian lands represents most of the total (public and private) crude oil production in New Mexico, Wyoming, and Utah.
  • Bakken. Rapidly increasing crude oil production from the Bakken formation lifted federal and Indian lands production volumes in North Dakota past production volumes in Wyoming in FY 2013. Federal and Indian lands crude oil production in both North Dakota and New Mexico has increased rapidly in recent years.
  • Natural gas. Wyoming, the federal Gulf of Mexico, New Mexico, and Colorado together represented 86% of total production of natural gas on federal and Indian lands in FY 2013. The federal Gulf of Mexico’s rapidly declining natural gas production was lower than the production level in Wyoming beginning in FY 2012. New Mexico's federal and Indian production has declined steadily and gradually between FY 2003 and FY 2013.
  • Coal. Production of coal on federal and Indian lands is dominated by Wyoming, which accounted for 80% of the total in FY 2013. Montana, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico were the next biggest coal producers on federal and Indian lands. Production in Wyoming and Montana has been declining since FY 2009, reflecting generally declining demand for coal over the period.

This information can be seen in the series of graphs below. For more on production of fossil fuels on federal and Indian lands, see EIA's latest report.

graph of crude oil production on federal and indian lands, as described in the article text

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration based on U.S. Department of the Interior

graph of natural gas production on federal and indian lands, as described in the article text

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration based on U.S. Department of the Interior

graph of coal production on federal and indian lands, as described in the article text

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration based on U.S. Department of the Interior

Principal contributors: Robert Schmitt, Elizabeth Panarelli, Evan Frye