Thunderbird 1 TB FED 14H and 1 WA FED 18H Production Facility - Oil Extraction in Jal, New Mexico

Thunderbird 1 TB FED 14H and 1 WA FED 18H Production Facility is an oil extraction site located approximately 16.9 miles southwest of Jal, in Lea County, New Mexico. The facility is operational and falls under the NAICS code 211120, which covers crude petroleum extraction. It is situated in the Permian Basin, one of the most prolific oil-producing regions in the United States. The facility operates under the regulatory framework of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the New Mexico Oil Conservation Division. Oil extraction in this region typically involves horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing to access tight oil formations. The facility's scale is consistent with the high-density development seen in the Permian Basin, where numerous wells are drilled from centralized pads to minimize surface disturbance. The Thunderbird facility contributes to the broader oil supply chain, feeding crude into pipelines that connect to refineries across the Gulf Coast. Its location in Lea County places it within an area of significant oil and gas activity, with associated infrastructure for gathering, processing, and transport. The facility's operations are subject to state and federal environmental regulations, including those governing air emissions, water management, and waste disposal.

The facility is located in the arid Permian Basin region of southeastern New Mexico, characterized by low rainfall and sensitive desert ecosystems. Oil extraction activities can impact local air quality through emissions of volatile organic compounds and methane, and water resources through the use of freshwater for hydraulic fracturing and the disposal of produced water. The region's geology also poses risks of induced seismicity from wastewater injection wells. Regulatory oversight by the EPA and state agencies aims to mitigate these impacts through permitting and monitoring requirements.