AUSTIN, TX — Oil and gas trade associations have teamed up with the UT-Austin McDonald Observatory to reduce light shining into the sky from drilling rigs and related activities, officials said Monday.

The University of Texas at Austin's McDonald Observatory has collaborated with the Permian Basin Petroleum Association (PBPA) and the Austin-based Texas Oil and Gas Association (TXOGA) to reduce light shining into the sky from drilling rigs and related activities in West Texas, officials said. The excess light has the potential to drown out the light from stars and galaxies, and threatens to reduce the effectiveness of the observatory's research telescopes to study the mysteries of the universe. according to officials.



"This partnership of PBPA and TXOGA with McDonald Observatory to protect dark skies in its vicinity is vital to the research of the universe taking place at McDonald," Taft Armandroff, director of the observatory, said. The collaboration's "Recommended Lighting Practices" document details best lighting practices for drilling rigs and other oilfield structures, including what types of lighting work best and how to reduce glare and improve visibility, officials explained. These practices will increase the amount of light shining down on work sites, thus increasing safety while decreasing the amount of light pollution in the sky, officials added. Moreover, reducing excess light helps the observatory and also decreases electricity costs for the oil and gas producers, according to officials.

The document specifically targets oil and gas operations in the seven counties with existing outdoor lighting ordinances surrounding the McDonald Observatory: Brewster, Culberson, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Pecos, Presidio and Reeves. However, the recommendations can be beneficial across the industry, officials noted.

"For years, the PBPA and the McDonald Observatory have worked together on educating members of the Permian Basin oil and gas community about the Dark Skies Initiative and the possible impact lighting practices can have on the observatory's work," said PBPA President Ben Shepperd. "About two years ago, the PBPA board of directors agreed to support the creation of lighting recommendations. We decided a great way to educate members of the industry on how they could provide a positive impact on this issue was through the utilization of such recommended practices.

"So we began work with the observatory to publish recommended lighting practices and have since worked to educate our members and those outside the oil and gas industry on the recommendations through presentations, seminars, articles in magazines and newspapers, and even one-on-one conversations," Shepperd said.

Texas Oil and Gas Association officials expounded on their role in the collaboration.

"The Texas Oil and Gas Association recognizes that production practices and protecting the environment are in no way mutually exclusive," TXOGA President Todd Staples said. "The Recommended Lighting Practices collaborative effort allows for the oil and natural gas industry to continue the work vital to our economy and our future, and for the simultaneous reduction to our ecological footprint."

In related news, the observatory's Dark Skies Initiative in April was named one of six Texan by Nature Conservation Wrangler projects for 2018, officials noted. Texan by Nature, a Texas-led conservation nonprofit founded by former first lady Laura Bush, brings business and conservation together through select programs that engage Texans in stewardship of land and communities.