[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 25 (Friday, February 6, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6202-6203]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-3075]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service, DOI.

ACTION: Notice of information collection solicitation.

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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Minerals 
Management Service (MMS) is soliciting comments on an information 
collection, Production Accounting and Auditing System Oil and Gas 
Reports, OMB Control Number 1010-0040.

FORMS: Form MMS-4051, Facility and Measurement Information Form (FMIF), 
Form MMS-4054, Oil and Gas Operations Report (OGOR), Form MMS-4055, Gas 
Analysis Report (GAR), Form MMS-4056, Gas Plant Operations Report 
(GPOR), Form MMS-3160, Monthly Report of Operations (MRO), Form MMS-
4058, Production Allocation Schedule Report (PASR).

DATES: Written comments should be received on or before April 7, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments sent via the U.S. Postal Service should be sent to 
Minerals Management Service, Royalty Management Program, Rules and 
Publications Staff, PO Box 25165, MS 3021, Denver, Colorado 80225-0165; 
courier address is Building 85, Room A613, Denver Federal Center, 
Denver, Colorado 80225; e-Mail address is RMP.[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis C. Jones, Rules and 
Publications Staff, phone (303) 231-3046, FAX (303) 231-3385, e-Mail 
Dennis__C__J[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, section 3506 (c)(2)(A), we are notifying you, members of 
the public and affected agencies, of this collection of information and 
are inviting your comments. Is this information collection necessary 
for us to properly do our job? Have we accurately estimated the 
industry burden for responding to this collection? Can we enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information we collect? Can we 
lessen the burden of this information collection on the respondents by 
using automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology?
    The Secretary of the Interior is responsible for the collection of 
royalties from lessees who produce minerals from leased Federal and 
Indian lands. The Secretary is authorized to manage lands, to collect 
royalties due, and to distribute royalty funds.
    The Minerals Management Service is responsible for the royalty 
management functions assigned to the Secretary. The Production 
Accounting and Auditing System (PAAS) is a part of the ongoing MMS 
effort to improve management of the Nation's resources. PAAS is an 
integrated computer system based on production and processing reports 
submitted by lease operators and is designed to track minerals produced 
from Federal and Indian lands from the point of production to the point 
of disposition, or royalty determination, and/or point of sale. It is 
used in conjunction with another MMS integrated computer system, the 
Auditing and Financial System (AFS), which provides payment and sales

[[Page 6203]]

volumes and values as reported by payors. AFS data are compared to 
production and processing volumes reported on PAAS, enabling MMS to 
verify that proper royalties are being paid for the minerals produced.
    MMS has developed six forms for gathering oil and gas production 
data from industry. One form initially established a data base for all 
storage facilities and measurement points. Four forms are used to 
collect ongoing production and disposition data, which are then matched 
with sales and royalty data reported to the AFS. Additionally, data 
collected from these forms is edited and electronically sent to the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and to the MMS Office of Offshore 
Minerals Management (OMM). BLM and OMM use the data to perform 
inspections, reviews, and reservoir analysis. The sixth form is used to 
collect information from independent sources to corroborate production 
data.
    Operators of 2,400 leases, mainly Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), 
will report monthly production to the PAAS using Form MMS-4054, OGOR. 
During FY 1998 the total number of OGOR reports expected, including 
modified reports, is estimated to be about 59,000. Currently 30 percent 
of OGOR documents are submitted electronically. At .5 hour per paper 
report, and .25 per electronic report, the FY 1998 burden will be 
25,075 hours.
    Gas production from some leases is processed before royalties have 
been determined. Operators of such leases must submit Form MMS-4055, 
GAR, if requested by MMS. During FY 1998 the total number of GAR 
reports expected, including modified reports, is estimated to be 10. At 
.25 hour per response, the FY 1998 burden will be 2.5 hours. Onshore 
operators reporting on Form MMS-3160 are not required to use the GAR to 
report gas production.
    About 32 gas plant operators will submit Form MMS-4056, GPOR, each 
month during FY 1998. The total number of GPOR reports expected, 
including modified reports, is 450. At an .5 hour per response, the 
burden will be 225 hours in FY 1998.
    MMS has assumed responsibility from BLM for the processing of 
monthly operations reports from all onshore oil and gas lease 
operators. In FY 1998, 2,750 operators will report monthly to MMS using 
Form MMS-3160, MRO. Most operators, who do not use electronic 
reporting, use the model Form MMS-3160 which is preprinted with 
information that remains relatively the same from month to month. The 
models are printed and mailed by MMS, and the onshore operators fill in 
monthly production data. Currently 40 percent of MRO documents are 
submitted electronically. The total number of MRO reports, including 
modified reports, is 290,000. At .25 hour per paper report and .12 hour 
per electronic report, the FY 1998 burden will be 57,420 hours.
    About 100 operators will submit Form MMS-4058, PASR, to report 
commingled production. The total number of PASR reports, including 
modified reports, is 7,200. At .25 hour per response, the FY 1998 
burden will be 1,800 hours.
    The total FY 1998 burden is estimated to be 84,522.5 hours [25,075 
(OGOR) + 2.5 (GAR) + 225 (GPOR) + 57,420 (MRO) + 1,800 (PASR)].

    Dated: February 3, 1998.
R. Dale Fazio,
Acting Associate Director for Royalty Management.
[FR Doc. 98-3075 Filed 2-5-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P