Posts by Charlie Barrett

New Mexico oil producer Franklin Mountain Energy was recently recognized for reducing light pollution at three of their operating sites in the New Mexico Permian Basin. DarkSky International, a group that focuses on reducing light pollution, applauded their efforts. These three sites are the first oil and gas sites in the world to receive a…

A recent visit to the Sinclair Navajo Refinery in Artesia, New Mexico, a facility with a history of pollution violations — despite being located a few hundred feet from an elementary school — revealed ongoing emissions. This visit was part of an informational field tour I organized for some of the field staff from the…

The lesser-prairie chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) is a grassland bird species native to the United States. Their habitat can be found in the southern Great Plains. They are known for their courtship displays and vocalizations, unique physical traits, and specific habitat needs. Unfortunately, they face severe threats due to habitat loss and fragmentation driven by the…

Soil vapor extraction (SVE) is a remediation technology for cleaning up contaminated soil and groundwater. However, SVE has significant limitations and drawbacks, particularly when it comes to its environmental impact. In this blog post, I’ll talk about SVE, exploring what it is, how it works, and why it’s not as effective as it can or…

Prior to joining Oilfield Witness as a thermographer and field ecologist, I worked as an ecologist and Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA) cruiser for the Texas A&M University Forest Service. Cruisers gather info on tree species, size, and age. We look at forest structure and composition, vegetation density and diversity, soil type, and wildlife habitat. We…