[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 140 (Thursday, July 22, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39526-39527]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-18732]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of extension of currently approved information 
collection (1010-0068).

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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3501, et seq.), this notice announces that the Information 
Collection Request (ICR) discussed below has been forwarded to the OMB 
for review and approval. The ICR describes the nature of the 
information collection and its expected cost and burden. The 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 OMB control number.

DATES: Submit written comments by August 23, 1999.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments directly to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for 
the Department of the Interior (1010-0079), 725 17th Street, NW, 
Washington, DC 20503. Mail or handcarry a copy of your comments to the 
Department of the Interior; Minerals Management Service; attention: 
Rules Processing Team; 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 collection of information at no cost.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: 30 CFR 250, Subpart M, Unitization.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0068.
    Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 
1331 et seq.), gives the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) the 
responsibility to preserve, protect, and develop oil and gas resources 
in the OCS consistent with the need to make such resources available to 
meet the Nation's energy needs as rapidly as possible; balance orderly 
energy resource development with protection of human, marine, and 
coastal environments; ensure the public a fair and equitable return on 
the resources of the OCS; and preserve and maintain free enterprise 
competition. Section 1334(a) specifies that the Secretary will 
establish rules and regulations to provide for the ``prevention of 
waste and conservation of the natural resources of the Outer 
Continental Shelf, and the protection of correlative rights therein'' 
and include provisions ``for unitization, pooling, and drilling 
agreements.'' To carry out these responsibilities, we have established 
regulations at 30 CFR 250, subpart M, ``Unitization.''
    The MMS OCS Regions use the information to determine whether to 
approve a proposal to enter into an agreement to unitize operations 
under two or more leases or to approve modifications when circumstances 
change. The information is necessary to ensure that operations will 
result in preventing waste, conserving natural resources, and 
protecting correlative rights, including the Government's interests. We 
also use information submitted to determine competitiveness of a 
reservoir or to decide that compelling unitization will achieve these 
results.
    We will protect proprietary information submitted with the plans 
according to the Freedom of Information Act and 30 CFR 250.118, ``Data 
and information to be made available to the public.'' No items of a 
sensitive nature are collected. Responses are required to obtain or 
retain a benefit or are mandatory.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130 
Federal OCS sulphur or oil and gas lessees.
    Frequency: The frequency of reporting is on occasion.
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: 2,742 
burden hours, averaging approximately 102 hours per response. See 
following chart.

                                                Burden Breakdown
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Citation 30 CFR 250 subpart                             Average number per                       Annual burdens
              M                      Requirement                year                Burden             hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1301........................  General description of      Burden included in following sections.               0
                               requirements.
1301(f)(3), (g)(1)..........  Request suspension of          Burden covered under 1010-0030.                   0
                               production or
                               operations.
1302(b).....................  Request preliminary       2 requests.........  24 hours...........              48
                               determination on
                               competitive reservoir.

[[Page 39527]]

 
1302(b).....................  Submit concurrence or     2 requests.........  24 hours...........              48
                               objection on
                               competitiveness with
                               supporting evidence.
1302(c), (d)................  Submit joint plan of      2 plans............  24 hours...........              48
                               operations or separate
                               plan if agreement
                               cannot be reached.
1303........................  Apply for voluntary       17 applications/     144 hours..........           2,448
                               unitization, including    plans.
                               submitting unit
                               agreement, unit
                               operating agreement,
                               joint plan of
                               operation, and
                               supporting data;
                               request for variance
                               from model agreement.
1304(b).....................  Request compulsory        1 request..........  144 hours..........             144
                               unitization, including
                               submitting unit
                               agreement, unit
                               operating agreement,
                               initial plan of
                               operation, and
                               supporting data;
                               serving nonconsenting
                               lessees with documents.
1304(d).....................  Request hearing on        1 request..........  1 hour.............               1
                               required unitization.
1304(e).....................  Submit statement at       1 statement........  4 hours............               4
                               hearing on compulsory
                               unitization.
130(e)......................  Submit three copies of    1 submission.......  1 hour.............               1
                               verbatim transcript of
                               hearing.
1304(f).....................  Appeal final order of          Burden covered under 1010-0121                    0
                               compulsory unitization.
                                                       ---------------------------------------------------------
    Total Reporting.........  ........................  27 responses.......  ...................           2,742
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Cost'' Burden: 
Section 250.1304(d) provides an opportunity for parties notified of 
compulsory unitization to request a hearing. Section 250.1304(e) 
requires the party seeking compulsory unitization to obtain the court 
reporter and submit to MMS three copies of the verbatim transcript of 
the hearing. There have been no such hearings in the recent past and 
none are expected in the near future. We estimate the burden would be 
less than $100 to reproduce the copies.
    Comments: All comments are made a part of the public record. 
Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA 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 23, 1999.
    MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach, 
(202) 208-7744.

    Dated: July 7, 1999.
John V. Mirabella,
Acting Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 99-18732 Filed 7-21-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P