Operators take action to darken skies around McDonald Observatory

Davis Panorama The lights of 24-hour oil and gas operations in the Permian Basin have created a sky glow visible to the north of the McDonald Observatory in the Davis Mountains. The observatory and Pioneer Energy Services have been testing lighting that avoids sending light skyward and creates a safer job site by reducing glare. Image courtesy of the McDonald Observatory. less Davis Panorama The lights of 24-hour oil and gas operations in the Permian Basin have created a sky glow visible to the north of the McDonald Observatory in the Davis Mountains. The observatory and Pioneer ... more Photo: Chase Fountain Photo: Chase Fountain Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Operators take action to darken skies around McDonald Observatory 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Dark skies are surrounding the University of Texas’ McDonald Observatory at Fort Davis. And that’s a good thing.

The Permian Basin Petroleum Association, in collaboration with the University of Texas McDonald Observatory, recently issued its recommended lighting practices for oil and gas operations in the seven counties that surround the observatory.

“We’re very excited,” Ben Shepperd, president of the PBPA, said in a phone interview as he was returning to Austin after hosting the association’s annual golf tournament.

“We’ve been working with the observatory for a couple of years and had a number of meetings with observatory officials, operators and service companies to come up with a good set of recommended practices,” he said.

The recommendations were prepared by the Dark Skies Advisory Group, made up of PBPA members, representatives of the observatory and the public. The group was formed to address the needs and concerns of the observatory and help develop a plan to help keep West Texas skies dark and help the work of the observatory.

PBPA’s board of directors approved the recommendations, which should be implemented after the Texas Legislature ends its 2017 session, Shepperd said.

Lighting type, coloring and direction — including guidance to keep lights pointed below the horizon to help mitigate light pollution — are among the key recommendations.

Shepperd said the recommendations should help the observatory “and are workable, especially from a safety standpoint.”

“One thing we learned is those bright white lights are actually bad for your eyes,” he said.

He said proper lighting could improve safety around drilling sites, which involve lots of tools and heavy machinery.

The recommendations also encourage the use of internal combustion units, which would reduce the need for flares.

Operators active in the region should easily adapt the recommendations because they don’t involve additional costs or major costs, “it’s just different equipment,” Shepperd said.

Apache Corp. is one of the operators that has joined in the effort, particularly as it develops its Alpine High discovery announced last fall.

“We hope that our partnership with Bill Wren and the McDonald Observatory can really serve as a template for what’s possible when both parties work together for mutual benefit,” Apache spokesman Joe Brettell said in an email. “Thanks to Bill and his advice on dark skies compliance, we’ve educated our employees, improved our work spaces and really sought to integrate protecting the work of the observatory in everything we do. As Alpine High develops, we hope future operators and generations of oilfield workers will look to build collaborative, beneficial relationships with our neighbors in the area.”

Even though the advisory group has issued its recommendations, Shepperd said work will continue. Additional meetings are planned for the summer “to see how the recommendations are working and to keep the momentum going,” Shepperd said.

“We want to be proactive. We know what a treasure the observatory is and we want to do all we can to protect it,” he said. “The observatory has all kinds of scientific implications internationally and we want to protect it.”

He said that it is also in keeping with the association’s mission of not only promoting the oil and gas industry but “to work with the communities where we operate. We need to do our level best to treat our neighbors right and not negatively impact their businesses.”