[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 28 (Wednesday, February 11, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6954-6955]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-2769]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of extension of a currently approved information 
collection.

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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and 
respondent burden, MMS invites the public and other Federal agencies to 
comment on a proposal to extend the currently approved collection of 
information discussed below. The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) 
provides that an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not 
required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays 
a currently valid

[[Page 6955]]

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

DATE: Submit written comments by April 13, 1998.

ADDRESS: Direct all written comments to the Rules Processing Team, 
Minerals Management Service, Mail Stop 4024, 381 Elden Street, Herndon, 
Virginia 20170-4817.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexis London, Rules Processing Team, 
telephone (703) 787-1600. You may also contact Alexis London to obtain 
a copy of this collection of information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Form MMS-127, Request for Maximum Efficient Rate (MER).
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0018.
    Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 
1331 et seq.), as amended, requires the Secretary of the Interior to 
preserve, protect, and develop oil and gas resources in the OCS; make 
such resources available to meet the Nation's energy needs as rapidly 
as possible; balance orderly energy resource development with 
protection of the human, marine, and coastal environment; ensure the 
public a fair and equitable return on the resources offshore; and 
preserve and maintain free enterprise competition. To carry out these 
responsibilities, MMS has issued regulations at 30 CFR Part 250. 
Subpart K, Oil and Gas Production Rates, requires respondents to 
complete Form MMS-127 to submit reservoir data on production.
    The MMS uses the information collected by Form MMS-127 to analyze 
and evaluate reservoir characteristics and parameters and to classify 
the reservoir as sensitive. The MMS also uses the information for 
reservoir development studies, well production reviews, production 
allocation checks, and reserves calculations for bonding and leasing 
activities. The MMS will protect proprietary information submitted on 
Form MMS-127 under 30 CFR 250.18, data and information to be made 
available to the public. No items of a sensitive nature are collected. 
The requirement to respond is mandatory.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: There are 
approximately 130 Federal OCS oil and gas or sulphur lessees.
    Frequency: Annual or on occasion.
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: There are 
910 burden hours currently approved for this collection. The reporting 
burden is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time 
for reviewing the instructions, gathering and maintaining the data, and 
completing and reviewing the form.
    Comments: The MMS will summarize written responses to this notice 
and address them in its submission for OMB approval. All comments will 
become a matter of public record. We will address any comments we 
receive in our submission to OMB. In calculating the burden, MMS may 
have assumed that respondents perform some of the requirements and 
maintain records in the normal course of their activities. The MMS 
considers these to be usual and customary. Commenters are invited to 
provide information if they disagree with this assumption, and they 
should tell us what the burden hours and costs imposed by this 
collection of information are.
    (1) The MMS specifically solicits comments on the following 
questions:
    (a) Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the 
proper performance of MMS's functions, and will it be useful?
    (b) Are the estimates of the burden hours of the proposed 
collection reasonable?
    (c) Do you have any suggestions that would enhance the quality, 
clarity, or usefulness of the information to be collected?
    (d) Is there a way to minimize the information collection burden on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated electronic, mechanical, or other forms of information 
technology?
    (2) In addition, the PRA requires agencies to estimate the total 
annual reporting and recordkeeping cost burden for the collection of 
this information. The MMS needs your comments on this item. Your 
response should split the cost estimate into two components: (a) Total 
capital and startup cost component; and (b) annual operation, 
maintenance, and purchase of services component. Your estimates should 
consider the costs to generate, maintain, and disclose or provide the 
information. You should describe the methods you use to estimate major 
cost factors, including system and technology acquisition, expected 
useful life of capital equipment, discount rate(s), and the period over 
which you incur costs. Capital and startup costs include, among other 
items, computers and software you purchase to prepare for collecting 
information; monitoring, sampling, drilling, and testing equipment; and 
record storage facilities. Generally, your estimates should not include 
equipment or services purchased: before October 1, 1995; to comply with 
requirements not associated with the information collection; for 
reasons other than to provide information or keep records for the 
Government; or as part of customary and usual business or private 
practices.
    MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach, 
(202) 208-7744.

    Dated January 29, 1998.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 98-2769 Filed 2-10-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P