[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 159 (Tuesday, August 18, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44271-44272]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-22163]


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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 revision of a currently approved information 
collection.

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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and 
respondent burden, we invite the public and other Federal agencies to 
comment on a proposal to revise the previously 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 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

DATES: Submit written comments by October 19, 1998.

ADDRESSES: 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 the proposed collection of information at no cost.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Form MMS-131, Performance Measures for OCS Operators.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0112.
    Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), at 43 
U.S.C. 1331 et seq., requires the Secretary of the Interior to 
preserve, protect, and develop oil and gas resources on the Outer 
Continental Shelf (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.
    In a collaborative effort with representatives of 17 oil and gas 
companies, representatives of five trade associations (American 
Petroleum Institute, Offshore Operators Committee, International 
Petroleum Association of America, International Association of Drilling 
Contractors, and National Ocean Industries Association), and the Coast 
Guard, we developed a set of performance measures intended to (1) 
determine if OCS safety and environmental performance is improving over 
time through the implementation of the Safety and Environmental 
Management Program (SEMP) on the OCS, (2) provide an industry average 
and range for various quantitative measures against which companies can 
compare themselves, (3) give us assurance that an operator's safety and 
environmental performance is improving, and (4) provide comparison data 
on which companies with good performance can base their requests for 
MMS approval of alternative approaches to compliance with its 
regulatory objectives. Like the implementation of SEMP, participation 
in the performance measures effort is voluntary.
    However, the quality of the information that we garner from 
analysis of the data depends on the widespread support of this effort.
    Based upon our experience this first year, and the comments and 
suggestions from respondents, we propose to revise Form MMS-131 to 
remove certain data elements that require OCS operators to perform 
calculations that we can easily do. The only proposed substantive 
revision is to revise the form to clarify that respondents report all 
permit violations under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination 
System permit issued by the Environmental Protection Agency. This data 
element was previously, and erroneously, restricted to permit 
exceedences. Exceedences are a subcategory of non-compliances but 
information for both categories is obtained from the same source--the 
operator's monthly Discharge Monitoring Report.
    The data elements on the revised form are:

[[Page 44272]]

    (a) Separated by Production Operations; Drilling and Workover 
Operations (including Allied Services); and Construction Operations:
     Number of company employee recordable accidents,
     Number of contract employee recordable accidents,
     Number of company employee lost time accidents,
     Number of contract employee lost time accidents,
     Company employee hours worked,
     Contract employee hours worked,
    (b) By totals:
     Number of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National 
Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) reported non-
compliances,
     Oil spills <1 bbl by number and volume.
    We use the information collected to work with industry 
representatives to identify ``pacesetter'' companies and ask them to 
make presentations at periodic best practice sharing workshops. We can 
better focus regulatory and research programs on areas where the 
performance measures indicate that operators are having difficulty 
meeting our expectations. We are more effective in leveraging resources 
by redirecting research efforts, promoting appropriate regulatory 
initiatives, and shifting inspection program emphasis. The performance 
measures also give us a verifiable gauge against which to judge the 
reasonableness of company requests for our approval of alternative 
approaches to comply with our regulatory objectives. They also provide 
a starting point for the dialog in the annual performance review 
meetings between company management and us.
    Company management use the information to understand how the 
offshore operators are doing as a group and where their own company 
ranks. It provides information for them to know on what areas to focus 
their continuous improvement efforts. This should lead to more cost-
effective prevention actions. Offshore operators and organizations use 
the information as a credible data source to demonstrate to those 
outside the industry how the industry and individual companies are 
performing.
    If respondents submit confidential or proprietary information, we 
will protect such information in accordance with the Freedom of 
Information Act; 30 CFR 250.118, Data and information to be made 
available to the public; and 30 CFR Part 252, OCS Oil and Gas 
Information Program. No items of a sensitive nature are involved. The 
requirement to respond is voluntary.
    Frequency: Annual basis in the first quarter of the calendar year.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: 100 Federal OCS 
oil and gas or sulphur lessees and operators.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour''Burden: 8-16 burden 
hours per response. The previous estimate was 28 hours per response; 
however, we expected this to decrease after respondents became more 
familiar with the performance measures. Several companies informally 
indicated that the burden was not significant for the first report and 
would be even less now that they are set up to report the information. 
In parenthesis are the estimates reported to us by two major companies 
(4 and 10 hours), two small companies (1 and 4 hours), and 1 very small 
operator (unsure but possibly several days) that we contacted.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Cost'' Burden: We have 
identified no cost burdens on respondents for providing this 
information.
    Comments: We will summarize written responses to this notice and 
address them in our submission for OMB approval. All comments are 
public record. In calculating the burden, we may have assumed that 
respondents maintain much of the information collected in the normal 
course of their activities, and we considered that to be usual and 
customary business practice.
    (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 cost burden to respondents as a direct result of this collection 
of 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. Do not include in your estimates equipment 
or services purchased: (i) before October 1, 1995; (ii) to comply with 
requirements not associated with the information collection; (iii) for 
reasons other than to provide information or keep records for the 
Government; or (iv) as part of customary and usual business or private 
practices.
    MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach, 
(202) 208-7744.

    Dated: August 10, 1998.
William S. Cook,
Acting Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 98-22163 Filed 8-17-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P