[tripletdaddy]

For me, first things first. Have you wiped everything down good and dry to let the leak become more self-evident? I am suspicious of the oil pan seal, especially at the front curved section under the crank where you said you saw the most oil and I would also be suspicious of the front main seal at the crank. It could also be leaking from some place higher up on the engine. If it is not any of those, then I would formulate a plan on the oil pan. To me the very first choice would be a glue/adhesive/epoxy/silicone, possibly a patch if necessary. There are several out there that would be good for this job. My second choice would be to weld it. With those two methods, the oil will need to be completely drained. Taking the pan off would be an absolute last resort for me, as you have stated so well all the complications/aggravations of its removal.