[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 162 (Tuesday, August 21, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 43899]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-21052]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WO-310-1310-PB-24 1A]


Extension of Approved Information Collection, OMB Approval Number 
1004-0185

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is requesting the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) to extend an existing approval to collect information 
from oil and gas lessees who have the obligation to ensure their oil 
and gas leases are protected from drainage. BLM uses the information to 
determine whether lessees and operating rights owners have complied 
with this obligation. Drainage of oil and gas resources results in 
lower royalties to the Federal Government.

DATES: You must submit your comments to BLM at the address below on or 
before October 22, 2001. BLM will not necessarily consider any comments 
received after the above date.

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments to: Regulatory Affairs Group (630), 
Bureau of Land Management, Mailstop 401LS, 1849 C Street, NW, 
Washington, DC 20240.
    You may send comments via Internet to: [email protected]. Please 
include ``ATTN: 1004-0185'' and your name and return address in your 
Internet message.
    You may deliver comments to the Bureau of Land Management, 
Administrative Record, Room 401, 1620 L Street, NW, Washington, DC.
    Comments will be available for public review at the L Street 
address during regular business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.) Monday 
through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: You may contact Barbara Gamble on 
(202) 452-0338 (Commercial or FTS). Persons who use a telecommunication 
device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay 
Service (FIRS) on 1-800-877-8330, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to 
contact Ms. Gamble.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 5 CFR 1320.12(a) requires that we provide a 
60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning a collection of 
information to solicit comments on:
    (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the 
proper functioning of the agency, including whether the information 
will have practical utility;
    (b) The accuracy of our estimates of the information collection 
burden, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions we 
use;
    (c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information collected; and
    (d) Ways to minimize the information collection burden on those who 
are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology.
    The Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 (MLA), 30 U.S.C. 181 et seq., gives 
the Secretary of the Interior responsibility to ensure protection of 
Federal oil and gas leases from drainage. Whenever drainage of Federal 
oil and gas resources is occurring, the lessee is required to drill all 
wells necessary to prevent losses of revenues due to such drainage, or 
enter into a communitization or unitization agreement, or to pay 
compensatory royalties for periods in which drainage has occurred or is 
occurring.
    The regulations under 43 CFR 3100 specify that oil and gas lessees 
have the obligation to ensure protection of their leases from drainage. 
The lessees and operating rights owners must monitor drilling 
activities of offending wells that may result in drainage situations. 
BLM has the responsibility to notify lessees if it has reason to 
believe there is drainage of Federal oil and gas resources. If BLM 
determines that drainage may be occurring, it will notify the lessees 
of the affected leases to take protective action or to provide BLM with 
evidence that drainage is not occurring or that a protective well would 
not be economic to drill, produce, and operate. BLM uses this 
information to determine if lessees and operating rights owners have 
complied with this obligation. Drainage of oil and gas resources 
results in lower royalties to the Federal Government.
    If BLM does not collect this information, it would lack the 
necessary information to ensure lessees and operating rights owners are 
fulfilling their obligations with respect to determining whether any 
producing wells nearby may be draining oil and gas resources covered by 
their leases. BLM collects the information in the regulations that 
address drainage and do not require a form.

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                                                 Number of
               Type of analysis                   analyses      Hours
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Preliminary...................................        1,000        2,000
Detailed......................................          100        2,400
Additional....................................           10          200
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    Total.....................................        1,110        4,600
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    Based upon its experience managing activities related to drainage 
of oil and gas resources, BLM estimates the above public reporting 
information collection burden. The estimated number of responses per 
year is 1,110. The estimated total annual burden is 4,600 hours.
    BLM will summarize all responses to this notice and include them in 
the request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of 
public record.

    Dated: July 23, 2001.
Michael H. Schwartz,
BLM Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 01-21052 Filed 8-20-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-M