Colorado oil and gas producers have sought only 21 permits to drill new wells this month, a 96% decrease compared with the 522 permit applications at the same time last year.
The Denver Post reports Colorado producers withdrew 33 permits, while the number of rigs drilling in the state has fallen from 22 at the year's start to 15 last week.
Environmental groups wrote to the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission expressing alarm about possible damage if oil and gas producers fail in large numbers.
The industry has been severely damaged by falling demand because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
