[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 98 (Thursday, May 21, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 27999]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-13475]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submitted for Office of 
Management and Budget Review; Comment Request

    Title: Stripper Royalty Rate Reduction Notification (Form MMS-
4377).
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0090.
    Comments: This collection of information has been submitted to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval of an extension of a 
currently approved information collection. 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 public's 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?
    Comments should be made directly to the Attention: Desk Officer for 
the Interior Department, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB Control Number 1010-0090), 
Washington, DC 20503; telephone (202) 395-7340. Copies of these 
comments should also be sent to us. The U.S. Postal Service address is 
Minerals Management Service, Royalty Management Program, Rules and 
Publications Staff, P.O.Box 25165, MS-3021, Denver, Colorado 80225-
0165; the courier address is Building 85, Room A-613, Denver Federal 
Center, Denver, Colorado 80225; and the e-Mail address is 
RMP.[email protected]. OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove 
the information collection but may respond after 30 days; therefore, 
public comments should be submitted to OMB within 30 days in order to 
assure their maximum consideration.
    Copies of the proposed information collection and related 
explanatory material may be obtained by contacting Dennis C. Jones, 
Rules and Publications Staff, telephone (303) 231-3046, FAX (303) 231-
3385, e-Mail Dennis.C.J[email protected].

DATES: Written comments should be received on or before June 22, 1998.

SUMMARY: To encourage continued production, provide an incentive for 
enhanced oil recovery projects, discourage abandonment of properties 
producing less than 15 barrels of oil per well-day, and reduce the 
operator's expenses, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will grant 
royalty rate reductions to operators of stripper oil properties. BLM 
amended 43 CFR 3103.4-2 to establish the conditions under which an 
operator or owner of a stripper oil property can obtain a reduction in 
the royalty rate for a property producing less than 15 barrels of oil 
per well-day. The amended regulations provided instructions for 
calculation of royalty rates based on the property's annual production 
rate.
    Operators are then required to notify the Minerals Management 
Service (MMS) of the reduced royalty rate using Form MMS-4377, Stripper 
Royalty Rate Reduction Notification. The form requires identification 
of the operator, name of the contact person, lease and agreement 
numbers, calculated royalty rate, current royalty rate, qualifying 
period, and effective date of royalty rate reduction. MMS uses the 
information provided on the form to update the database with accepted 
reduced royalty rates. The reduced royalty rate will become effective 
for all oil production from qualifying properties the first day of the 
month after MMS receives notification of the rate change.
    Description of Respondents: Operators of low producing oil wells.
    Frequency of Response: Annually.
    Annual Recordkeeping Burden: 200 hours.
    Annual Responses: 800.
    Annual Burden Hours: 600 hours.
    Bureau Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach (202) 208-7744.

    Dated: April 23, 1998.
Lucy Querques Denett,
Associate Director for Royalty Management.
[FR Doc. 98-13475 Filed 5-20-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P