[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 143 (Tuesday, July 25, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45791-45792]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-18803]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


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

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of extension of a currently approved information 
collection (OMB control number 1010-0067).

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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we 
are submitting to OMB for review and approval an information collection 
request (ICR), titled ``30 CFR 250, Subpart E, Oil and Gas Well-
Completion Operations.'' We are also soliciting comments from the 
public on this ICR.

DATES: Submit written comments by August 24, 2000.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments directly to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for 
the Department of the Interior (1010-0067), 725 17th Street, N.W., 
Washington, D.C. 20503. Mail or hand carry 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.
    Our practice is to make comments, including names and home 
addresses of respondents, available for public review during regular 
business hours. Individual respondents may request that we withhold 
their home address from the record, which we will honor to the extent 
allowable by law. There may be circumstances in which we would withhold 
from the record a respondent's identity, as allowable by law. If you 
wish us to withhold your name and/or address, you must state this 
prominently at the beginning of your comment. However, we will not 
consider anonymous comments. We will make all submissions from 
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or 
businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety.

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 E, Oil and Gas Well-Completion 
Operations
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0067.
    Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act, 43 U.S.C. 
1331 et seq., requires the Secretary of the Interior to preserve, 
protect, and develop oil and gas resources in the OCS in a manner that 
is consistent with the need to make such resources available to meet 
the Nation's energy needs as rapidly as possible; balance orderly 
energy resources development with protection of the human, marine, and 
coastal environment; ensure the public a fair and equitable return on 
OCS resources; and preserve and maintain free enterprise competition. 
Section 1332(6) of the OCS Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1332) requires that 
``operations in the [O]uter Continental Shelf should be conducted in a 
safe manner by well-trained personnel using technology, precautions, 
and techniques sufficient to prevent or minimize the likelihood of 
blowouts, loss of well control, fires, spillages, physical obstruction 
to other users of the waters or subsoil and seabed, or other 
occurrences which may cause damage to the environment or to property, 
or endanger life or health.'' This authority and responsibility are 
among those delegated to the Minerals Management Service (MMS).
    The MMS district supervisors analyze and evaluate the information 
and data collected under subpart E to ensure that planned well-
completion operations will protect personnel safety and natural 
resources. They use the analysis and evaluation results in the decision 
to approve, disapprove, or require modification to the proposed well-
completion operations. Specifically, MMS uses the information to 
ensure: (a) Compliance with personnel safety training requirements; (b) 
crown block safety device is operating and can be expected to function 
to avoid accidents; (c) proposed operation of the annular preventer is 
technically correct and provides adequate protection for personnel, 
property, and natural resources; (d) well-completion operations are 
conducted on well casings that are structurally competent; and (e) 
sustained casing pressures are within acceptable limits.
    We protect proprietary information that is submitted according to 
the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552), and its implementing 
regulations (43 CFR 2), and 30 CFR 250.196. No items of a sensitive 
nature are collected. Responses are mandatory.
    We published a Federal Register notice with the required 60-day 
comment period on April 17, 2000 (65 FR 20485). We received no comments 
in response to that notice.
    Frequency: The frequency of reporting varies according to 
requirement (see following burden chart).
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130 
Federal OCS oil, gas, and sulphur lessees.
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: 5,672 
hours (see following burden chart).
    Estimated Annual Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: We have 
identified no non-hour cost burdens associated with this collection of 
information.

[[Page 45792]]



                                                Burden Breakdown
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                        Annual
     Citation 30 CFR 250 Subpart E      Reporting & recordkeeping         Number           Burden       burden
                                         requirement (frequency)                          (hours)       hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
502...................................  Request approval not to    13 requests........          131           13
                                         shut in well during
                                         equipment movement (on
                                         occasion).
502 (MMS condition of approval).......  Notify MMS of well-        560 notices........           .1           56
                                         completion rig movement
                                         on or off platform or
                                         from well to well on
                                         same platform (on
                                         occasion).
505; 513; 515(a); 516(g), (j).........  Submit forms MMS-123, MMS-   Burden included in 1010-0044,             0
                                         124, MMS-125 for various        1010-0045, 1010-0046.
                                         approvals.
512...................................  Request field well-        2 requests.........            1            2
                                         completion rules be
                                         established and canceled
                                         (on occasion; however,
                                         there have been no
                                         requests in many years).
515(a)................................  Submit well-control        15 submissions.....            1           15
                                         procedures (on occasion).
517(b)................................  Pressure test, caliper,    20 reports.........            4           80
                                         or otherwise evaluate
                                         tubing & wellhead
                                         equipment casing; submit
                                         results (every 30 days
                                         during prolonged
                                         operations).
517(c)................................  Notify MMS if sustained    1,355 notices......          .25          339
                                         casing pressure is                                            (rounded)
                                         observed on a well (on
                                         occasion).
                                                                  ----------------------------------------------
Reporting subtotal....................  .........................           1,965 Responses                  505
                                                                  ==============================================
506...................................  Instruct crew members in   570 completions  x           .16          365
                                         safety requirements of     4 = 2,280.                         (rounded)
                                         operations to be
                                         performed; document
                                         meeting (weekly for 2
                                         crews  x  2 weeks per
                                         completion = 4).
511...................................  Perform operational check  575 completions  x            .1          115
                                         of traveling-block         2 = 1,150.
                                         safety device; document
                                         results (weekly  x  2
                                         weeks per completion =
                                         2).
516 tests; 516(i).....................  Perform BOP pressure       575 completions....            6        3,450
                                         tests, actuations &
                                         inspections; record
                                         results; retain records
                                         2 years following
                                         completion of well (when
                                         installed; minimum every
                                         14 days; as stated for
                                         component).
516(d)(5) test; 516(i)................  Function test annulars     575 completions....          .16           92
                                         and rams; document
                                         results (every 7 days
                                         between BOP tests--
                                         biweekly; note: part of
                                         BOP test when conducted).
516(e)................................  Record reason for          45 postponed tests.           .1            5
                                         postponing BOP system                                         (rounded)
                                         tests (on occasion).
516(f)................................  Perform crew drills;       570 completions  x            .5        1,140
                                         record results (weekly     4 = 2,280.
                                         for 2 crews  x  2 weeks
                                         per completion = 4).
                                                                  ----------------------------------------------
Recordkeeping subtotal................  .........................       130 Recordkeepers (RKs)            5,167
                                                                  ==============================================
    Total hour burden.................  .........................         2,095 Responses/RKs              5,672
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Comments: The PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) 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. 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.
    If you wish to comment in response to this notice, 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 24, 2000.
    MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach, 
(202) 208-7744).

    Dated: July 5, 2000.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 00-18803 Filed 7-24-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P