PIONEER NAT RES - GAYLE 23-26 Gas Extraction Facility, Cokedale, Colorado

PIONEER NAT RES - GAYLE 23-26 is a gas extraction facility situated in Las Animas County, Colorado, about 6.9 miles west of Cokedale. The facility is operational and classified under NAICS codes 211111 (Crude Petroleum and Natural Gas Extraction) and 211130 (Natural Gas Liquid Extraction), indicating its role in upstream gas production. The facility operates within the United States regulatory framework, which includes PHMSA pipeline safety regulations and DOT 49 CFR Part 192 for gas transmission. In Colorado, gas extraction activities are also subject to state-level rules from the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC). The site's location in a rural area with low population density reduces certain risk factors associated with proximity to populated areas. As a gas extraction facility, PIONEER NAT RES - GAYLE 23-26 contributes to the regional energy supply chain. Its operational status and location in the Raton Basin, a known coalbed methane producing area, highlight its significance in local gas production. The facility's environmental context includes typical considerations for gas extraction such as water usage, methane emissions, and land disturbance, which are managed under state and federal regulations.

The facility is located in a semi-arid region of southern Colorado, characterized by grasslands and low population density. Gas extraction in this area involves potential impacts on groundwater quality and air emissions, including methane leakage. The site's distance from populated areas reduces exposure risks, but seismic activity in the region is low to moderate. Regulatory oversight by the COGCC and EPA addresses these environmental concerns through permitting and monitoring requirements.