[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 144 (Tuesday, July 28, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40312-40314]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20142]


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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 1010-0043).

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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

[[Page 40313]]

respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid Office of Management and Budget (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 (1010-0043), 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: 30 CFR part 250, subpart F, Oil and Gas Well-Workover 
Operations.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0043.
    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. This 
collection of information pertains to subpart F, Well-Workover 
Operations.
    The MMS District Supervisors use the information collected under 
subpart F to analyze and evaluate planned well-workover operations to 
ensure that operations result in personnel safety and protection of the 
environment. This evaluation is used in the decision whether to 
approve, disapprove, or to require modification to the proposed well-
workover operations. Proprietary information will be protected 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: Approximately 130 
Federal oil and gas or sulphur lessees.
    Frequency: On occasion, varies by section (see charts below).
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: 660 
reporting and 7,260 recordkeeping burden hours (see charts below).
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Cost'' Burden: None.

                                                                    Burden Breakdown                                                                    
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                                                                                                                             Burden                     
 Citation 30 CFR 250 subpart F    Reporting requirement              Frequency                          Number               (hour)  Annual Burden hours
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
602............................  Request exceptions       On occasion....................  330............................      .25  83 (rounded).      
                                  prior to moving well-                                                                                                 
                                  workover equipment.                                                                                                   
605; 613; 615(a)...............  Request approval to                                                                                                    
                                  begin subsea well-                                                                                                    
                                  workover operations;                                                                                                  
                                  submit forms MMS-124                                                                                                  
                                  and MMS-125.                                                                                                          
(2)Burden included in 1010-0045  0......................                                                                                                
 and 1010-0046                                                                                                                                          
612............................  Request field well-                                                                                                    
                                  workover rules be                                                                                                     
                                  established, amended,                                                                                                 
                                  or canceled.                                                                                                          
(2)MMS has received no requests  0......................                                                                                                
 for several years; how ever,                                                                                                                           
 the option for respondents is                                                                                                                          
 available; burden would be                                                                                                                             
 minimal if a request was                                                                                                                               
 submitted                                                                                                                                              
614............................  Post number of stands    On occasion....................  562 postings...................      .25  141 (rounded).     
                                  of drill pipe or                                                                                                      
                                  workover string and                                                                                                   
                                  drill collars that may                                                                                                
                                  be pulled prior to                                                                                                    
                                  filling the hole and                                                                                                  
                                  equivalent well-                                                                                                      
                                  control fluid volume.                                                                                                 
616(a).........................  Request exception to     On occasion....................  226 requests...................        1  226.               
                                  rated working pressure                                                                                                
                                  of the BOP equipment;                                                                                                 
                                  request exception to                                                                                                  
                                  annular-type BOP                                                                                                      
                                  testing.                                                                                                              
616(d).........................  Request exception to     On occasion....................  50 requests....................       .5  25.                
                                  recording pressure                                                                                                    
                                  conditions during BOP                                                                                                 
                                  tests on pressure                                                                                                     
                                  charts.                                                                                                               
617(b).........................  Pressure test, caliper,  Every 30 days during prolonged   30 reports.....................        4  120.               
                                  or otherwise evaluate    operations.                                                                                  
                                  tubing & wellhead                                                                                                     
                                  equipment casing;                                                                                                     
                                  submit results.                                                                                                       
617(c).........................  Notify MMS if sustained  On occasion....................  260 notifications..............      .25  65.                
                                  casing pressure is                                                                                                    
                                  observed on a well.                                                                                                   
                                ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total reporting............  .......................  ...............................  1,458..........................  .......  660.               
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                                      Recordkeeping                                                                          Burden                     
 Citation 30 CFR 250 subpart F         requirement                   Frequency                          Number               (hour)  Annual burden hours
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
606............................  Instruct crew members    Weekly for 2 crews  x  2 weeks   460 workovers  x  4 = 1,840....        5  920.               
                                  in safety requirements   per workover = 4.                                                                            
                                  of operations to be                                                                                                   
                                  performed; document                                                                                                   
                                  meeting.                                                                                                              
611............................  Perform operational      Weekly  x  2 weeks per workover  430 workovers  x  2 = 860......      .25  215.               
                                  check of traveling-      = 2.                                                                                         
                                  block safety device;                                                                                                  
                                  document results.                                                                                                     
616(a), (b), (d), (e)..........  Perform BOP pressure     When installed; at a minimum     430 workovers  x  2 = 860......        6  5,160.             
                                  tests, actuations &      every 7 days  x  2 weeks per                                                                 
                                  inspections; record      workover = 2.                                                                                
                                  results; retain                                                                                                       
                                  records 2 years                                                                                                       
                                  following completion                                                                                                  
                                  of workover activities.                                                                                               

[[Page 40314]]

                                                                                                                                                        
616(b)(2)......................  Test blind or blind-     Every 30 days during operations  400 workovers..................      .25  100.               
                                  shear rams; document                                                                                                  
                                  results (Note: this is                                                                                                
                                  part of BOP test when                                                                                                 
                                  BOP test is conducted).                                                                                               
616(b)(2)......................  Record reason for        On occasion....................  53 postponed tests.............       .1  5 (rounded).       
                                  postponing BOP system                                                                                                 
                                  tests.                                                                                                                
616(c).........................  Perform crew drills;     Weekly for 2 crews  x  2 weeks   430 workovers  x  4 = 1,720....       .5  860.               
                                  record results.          per workover = 4.                                                                            
                                ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total recordkeeping........  .......................  ...............................  ...............................  .......  7,260.             
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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: June 30, 1998.
William S. Cook,
Acting Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 98-20142 Filed 7-27-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P