I re-read this from the start and a few things pop out. If you have a few small spots on the driveway and you are consuming 1-2 qts between changes, most of the oil is going into your intake (likely through the PCV). GM did a TSB that covers oil consumption for your model year (same as mine). One of the elements is an updated driver's side valve cover. There is more to this TSB than just a valve cover (on my car it needed new pistons and rings, along with a oil deflector on the AFM pressure relief valve, valve cover, etc. etc., but I think my case was kind of an extreme example. My truck saw its first 60K or so hauling a big old trailer in tow mode with higher than normal RPMs standard).
One thing you could do (other than checking the rev of your driver's side valve cover) is install a catch can between your PCV and the intake manifold (about a 20 minute job). This would tell you a lot about how much oil your engine is sucking into the intake (and stop most of it).
As far as the leak. Wind blows oil leaks back, so the farthest forward you see oil is a good place to start. I had to replace my oil pan gasket at 80K due to small leaks. It hadn't been touched since new. Frankly looking at yours, it could be the pan gasket. If it is, and you find the source of most of your oil consumption is your valve cover, etc., I would probably wipe it as best I could a few times a month and put a pan under it to keep my driveway clean. The pan gasket replacement is a fairly involved DYI project unless you are handy. Might not be worth it for a few spots of oil.
One thing you could do (other than checking the rev of your driver's side valve cover) is install a catch can between your PCV and the intake manifold (about a 20 minute job). This would tell you a lot about how much oil your engine is sucking into the intake (and stop most of it).
As far as the leak. Wind blows oil leaks back, so the farthest forward you see oil is a good place to start. I had to replace my oil pan gasket at 80K due to small leaks. It hadn't been touched since new. Frankly looking at yours, it could be the pan gasket. If it is, and you find the source of most of your oil consumption is your valve cover, etc., I would probably wipe it as best I could a few times a month and put a pan under it to keep my driveway clean. The pan gasket replacement is a fairly involved DYI project unless you are handy. Might not be worth it for a few spots of oil.
