Three oil and gas sites in the Permian Basin have received recognition for their reduction in light pollution, as part of an effort to keep the stars visible in the Permian and San Juan basins.
DarkSky International, a global authority on light pollution reduction, applauded efforts of Franklin Mountain Energy in Lea County, N.M., for overhauling lighting practices at three sites, which reduced the skyglow from the oil and gas facilities during the night.
These are the first oil and gas sites in the world to receive a dark sky certification, according to a news release.
“Promoting dark skies practices is a collaborative effort,” said Ruskin Hartley, the CEO of DarkSky International, in a written statement. “The Alliance’s public/private partnership shows the importance of teamwork to achieve the workable balance between operational safety and security and protecting night sky quality.”
The work to change the temperature of the lighting and ensure it’s pointing downward onto work surfaces instead of into the night sky is part of a public/private partnership called the Dark for the Park Alliance.
Members include Carlsbad National Caverns National Park, Chaco Cultural Heritage Park, New Mexico Oil and Gas Association, Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico State Land Office, and two observatories and dark sky groups.
The alliance has published a lighting guide for oil and gas companies to adopt for new sites or to retrofit existing wells and processing plants. The guide includes suggestions for keeping light directed at the ground and suggestions for plans, shielding, intensity, and light color.
The alliance made the lighting changes a “win-win solution,” to balance safety and reduce skyglow, said Audrey Robertson, the co-founder of the Denver-based oil and gas company.