[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 5, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5913-5914]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-2691]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

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


Extension of Approved Information Collection, OMB Control Number 
1004-0137

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

[[Page 5914]]


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 certain 
information from oil and gas well operators concerning operations 
performed on each well, using the Well Completion or Recompletion 
Report and Log (Form 3160-4). We use the information to ensure 
recording of an accurate, up-to-date, and detailed description of well 
completion or recompletion operations and compliance with approved 
plans for conservation of the resources and protection of the 
environment.

DATES: You must submit your comments to BLM at the address below on or 
before April 7, 2003. BLM will not necessarily consider and comments 
received after the above date.

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments to: Bureau of Land Management, (WO-
630), Eastern States Office, 7450 Boston Blvd., Springfield, Virginia 
22153.
    You may send comments via Internet to: [email protected]. Please 
include ``ATTN: 1004-0137'' 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.
    All 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, Fluid 
Minerals Group, on (202) 452-0338 (Commercial or FTS). Persons who use 
a telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service 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 has 
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 burden of the collection of information 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 (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.), as 
amended; the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands of 1947 (30 U.S.C. 
351-359), as amended; the various Indian leasing acts; the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.), as amended; 
and other environmental laws govern onshore oil and gas operations. 
BLM's implementing regulations are at 43 CFR part 3160. The regulation 
43 CFR 3162.4-1(b) requires an oil and gas well operator to submit a 
Well Completion or Recompletion Report and Log (Form 3160-4) within 30 
days after well completion. The information that the operator submits 
to us includes the type of work, surface and subsurface location, start 
and completion dates, producing interval, casing, date of first 
production, and initial well potential. The operator certifies the 
accuracy and completeness of the information by signature and date.
    BLM uses the information for inspection and reservoir management 
purposes. Technical data provide means to evaluate the appropriateness 
of specific drilling and completion techniques. The data enable us to 
monitor the engineering aspects of oil and gas production. The form 
documents that operations were carried out under the terms and 
provisions of the lease in a technically and environmentally safe 
manner. We would lack the necessary information to monitor compliance 
of well activity and operations that were performed on wells if we did 
not collect this information.
    Based on our experience administering the onshore oil and gas 
program, we estimate the public reporting burden for the information 
collected is 1 hour per response. The information collected is already 
maintained by respondents for their own recordkeeping purposes and must 
only be entered on the form. Respondents are operators of oil and gas 
wells. The frequency of response varies depending on the type of 
activity conducted at oil and gas wells. We estimate the number of 
responses per year is 2,200 and the total annual burden is 2,200 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: January 31, 2003.
Michael H. Schwartz,
Bureau of Land Management, Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-2691 Filed 2-4-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-M