[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 98 (Wednesday, May 21, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27843-27845]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-12693]


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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 an information collection (1010-0041).

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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we 
are notifying the public that we have submitted to OMB an information 
collection request (ICR) to renew approval of the paperwork 
requirements in the regulations under 30 CFR 250, Subpart K, ``Oil and 
Gas Production Rates.'' This notice also provides the public a second 
opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of these regulatory 
requirements.

DATES: Submit written comments by June 20, 2003.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments directly to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for 
the Department of the Interior (1010-0041), 725 17th Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 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. If you wish to e-mail your comments to MMS, the 
address is: [email protected]. Reference Information Collection 
1010-0041 in your subject line and mark your message for return 
receipt. Include your name and return address in your message text.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Arlene Bajusz, Rules Processing Team, 
telephone (703) 787-1600. You may also contact Arlene Bajusz to obtain 
a copy, at no cost, of the regulations that require the subject 
collection of information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: 30 CFR 250, Subpart K, Oil and Gas Production Rates.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0041.
    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 the 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(g)(2) states `` * * * the 
lessee shall produce such oil or gas, or both, at rates * * * to assure 
the maximum rate of production which may be sustained without loss of 
ultimate recovery of oil or gas, or both, under sound engineering and 
economic principles, and which is safe for the duration of the activity 
covered by the approved plan.''

[[Page 27844]]

    Regulations at 30 CFR part 250, subpart K, implement these 
statutory requirements. We use the information collected to determine 
if produced gas can be put to beneficial use economically, to analyze 
the risks of transporting the liquid hydrocarbons against the value of 
the resource, and to account for volumes of flared gas and burned 
liquid hydrocarbons. The MMS uses the information in its efforts to 
conserve natural resources, prevent waste, and protect correlative 
rights including the Government's royalty interest. Specifically, MMS 
uses the information to review records of burning liquid hydrocarbons 
and venting and flaring actions to ensure that they are not excessive; 
to determine maximum production and maximum efficient rates; to compare 
the volume of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) flared and the sulphur 
dioxide (SO2) emitted with the specified amounts in approved 
contingency plans; to monitor monthly atmospheric emissions of 
SO2 for air quality; to review applications for downhole 
commingling to ensure that action does not result in harm to ultimate 
recovery or undervalued royalties.
    We will protect information from respondents considered proprietary 
under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and its 
implementing regulations (43 CFR part 2) and under regulations at 30 
CFR 250.196. No items of a sensitive nature are collected. Responses 
are mandatory.
    Frequency: On occasion and monthly.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130 
Federal OCS oil and gas lessees.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The 
estimated annual ``hour'' burden for this information collection is a 
total of 15,636 hours. The following chart details the individual 
components and estimated hour burdens. In calculating the burdens, we 
assumed that respondents perform certain requirements in the normal 
course of their activities. We consider these to be usual and customary 
and took that into account in estimating the burden.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                          Annual
    Citation 30 CFR 250 subpart K       Reporting & recordkeeping   Hour burden    Average No. annual     burden
                                               requirement                              responses         hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1101(b).............................  Request approval to produce             5  21 requests...........      105
                                       within 500 feet of a lease
                                       line.
1101(c).............................  Request approval to produce            12  125 requests..........    1,500
                                       gas cap of a sensitive
                                       reservoir.
1102................................  Submit forms MMS-0 126, MMS-127, and MMS-128--burden covered             0
                                       under 1010-0039, 1010-0018, and 1010-0017.
1102(a)(5)..........................  Submit alternative plan for overproduction status--MMS is not            0
                                       currently collecting this information.
1102(b)(6)..........................  Request extension of time to        \1/2\  37 requests...........       19
                                       submit results of
                                       semiannual well test.
1103(a).............................  Request approval of test            \1/2\  37 requests...........       19
                                       periods of less than 4
                                       hours and pretest
                                       stabilization periods of
                                       less than 6 hours.
1103(c).............................  Provide advance notice of           \1/2\  10 notices............        5
                                       time and date of well tests.
1104(c).............................  Submit results of all static            1  1,235 surveys.........    1,235
                                       bottomhole pressure surveys
                                       obtained by lessee.
                                       Information is submitted on
                                       form MMS-140 in the Gulf of
                                       Mexico Region.
1105(a), (b)........................  Request special approval to         \1/2\  506 requests..........      253
                                       flare or vent oil-well gas.
1105(c).............................  Request approval to burn            \1/2\  60 requests...........       30
                                       produced liquid
                                       hydrocarbons.
1105(f).............................  Submit monthly reports of               2  3 operators x 12 mos.        72
                                       flared or vented gas                       = 36.
                                       containing H2S.
1105(f).............................  H2S Contingency, Exploration, or Development and Production              0
                                       Plans--burden covered under 1010-0053 and 1010-0049.
1106................................  Submit application to                   6  118 applications......      708
                                       commingle hydrocarbons
                                       produced from multiple
                                       reservoirs and inform other
                                       lessees having an interest.
1107(b).............................  Submit proposed plan for               12  24 plans..............      288
                                       enhanced recovery
                                       operations.
1107(c).............................  Submit periodic reports of              2  67 reports............      134
                                       volumes of oil, gas, or
                                       other substances injected,
                                       produced, or reproduced.
1100-1107...........................  General departure or                    1  120 survey waivers....      120
                                       alternative compliance                 6  20 requests...........      120
                                       requests not specifically
                                       covered elsewhere in
                                       subpart K, including
                                       bottomhole pressure survey
                                       waivers and reservoir
                                       reclassification requests.
-------------------------------------
                               Reporting Subtotal                                2,416.................    4,608
================================================================================
1105(d), (e)........................  Maintain records for 2 years           13  846 platforms.........   10,998
                                       detailing gas flaring or
                                       venting..
1105(d), (e)........................  Maintain records for 2 years        \1/2\  60 occurences.........       30
                                       detailing liquid
                                       hydrocarbon burning..
-------------------------------------
                             Recordkeeping Subtotal                              130 Recordkeepers.....   11,028
================================================================================
    Total Burden....................  ............................  ...........  2,546.................   15,636
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: We 
have identified no cost burdens for this collection.
    Public Disclosure Statement: The PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) 
provides that an agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of 
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. 
Until OMB approves a collection of information, you are not obligated 
to respond.
    Comments: Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et 
seq.) 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.
    To comply with the public consultation process, on December 6,

[[Page 27845]]

2002, we published a Federal Register notice (67 FR 72693) announcing 
that we would submit this ICR to OMB for approval. The notice provided 
the required 60-day comment period. In addition, Sec.  250.199 provides 
the OMB control number for the information collection requirements 
imposed by the 30 CFR 250 regulations and forms. The regulation also 
informs the public that they may comment at any time on the collections 
of information and provides the address to which they should send 
comments. We have received no comments in response to these efforts.
    If you wish to comment in response to this notice, you may send 
your comments to the offices listed under the ADDRESSES section of this 
notice. 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 June 20, 2003.
    Public Comment Policy: 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 the law. There may be circumstances in which we 
would withhold from the record a respondent's identity, as allowable by 
the 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.
    MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach, 
(202) 208-7744.

    Dated: March 11, 2003.
E. P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 03-12693 Filed 5-20-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P