[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 144 (Tuesday, July 28, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 40310]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20140]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


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

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of extension of a currently approved information 
collection (OMB Control Number 1010-0018).

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SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the 
Department of the Interior has submitted the collection of information 
discussed below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
approval. The Act 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 OMB control number.

DATES: Submit written comments by August 27, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments and suggestions directly to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for 
the Department of the Interior (1010-0018), 725 17th Street, NW, 
Washington, DC 20503. Send a copy of your comments to the Minerals 
Management Service, Attention: Rules Processing Team, Mail Stop 4024, 
381 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexis London, Engineering and 
Operations Division, Minerals Management Service, telephone (703) 787-
1600. You may obtain copies of the supporting statement and collection 
of information by contacting MMS's Information Collection Clearance 
Officer at (202) 208-7744.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title and Form Number: Form MMS-127, Request for Maximum Efficient 
Rate (MER).
    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 250.118, 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 900 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. There are no recordkeeping 
requirements.
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Cost'' Burden: None.
    Comments: Section 3506 (c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act 
requires each agency ``* * * to provide notice * * * and otherwise 
consult with members of the public and affected agencies concerning 
each proposed collection of information * * *.'' Agencies must 
specifically solicit comments to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the agency to perform its 
duties, including whether the information is useful, (b) evaluate the 
accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information, (c) enhance the quality, usefulness, and 
clarity of the information to be collected, and (d) minimize the burden 
on the respondents, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Send your comments directly to the offices listed under the 
addresses section of this notice. The OMB has up to 60 days to approve 
or disapprove the information collection but may respond after 30 days. 
Therefore, to ensure maximum consideration, OMB should receive public 
comments by August 27, 1998.
    MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach, 
(202) 208-7744.

    Dated: July 1, 1998.
Williams S. Cook,
Acting Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 98-20140 Filed 7-27-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P