[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 223 (Wednesday, November 19, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65305-65307]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-28834]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of extension of an information collection (1010-0051).

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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), MMS 
is inviting comments on a collection of information that will be 
submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval. The information collection request (ICR) concerns the 
paperwork requirements in the regulations under ``30 CFR 250, Subpart 
L, Oil and Gas Production Measurement, Surface Commingling, and 
Security.''

DATE: Submit written comments by January 20, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Mail or hand carry 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 comments, the address is: [email protected]. 
Reference ``Information Collection 1010-0051'' in your e-mail subject 
line and mark your message for return receipt. Include your name and 
return address in your message.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Arlene Bajusz, Rules Processing Team 
at (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 L, Oil and Gas Production Measurement, 
Surface Commingling, and Security.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0051.
    Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act, as amended 
(43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq. and 43 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), authorizes the 
Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to prescribe rules and 
regulations to administer leasing of the OCS. Such rules and 
regulations apply to all operations conducted under a lease. Operations 
on the OCS must preserve, protect, and develop oil and natural gas 
resources 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; to balance orderly energy resource development with 
protection of human, marine, and coastal environments; to ensure the 
public a fair and equitable return on the resources of the OCS; and to 
preserve and maintain free enterprise competition.
    The Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982 (30 U.S.C. 
1701, et seq.) at section 1712(b)(2) prescribes that an operator will 
``develop and comply with such minimum site security measures as the 
Secretary deems appropriate, to protect oil or gas produced or stored 
on a lease site or on the Outer Continental Shelf from theft.'' These 
authorities and responsibilities are among those delegated to MMS under 
which regulations are issued to govern oil and gas and sulphur 
operations in the OCS. This information collection request addresses 
the regulations at 30 CFR part 250, subpart L, Oil and Gas Production 
Measurement, Surface Commingling, and Security, and the associated 
supplementary notices to lessees and operators intended to provide 
clarification, description, or explanation of these regulations.
    MMS uses the information collected under subpart L to ensure that 
the volumes of hydrocarbons produced are measured accurately and that 
royalties are paid on the proper volumes. Specifically, MMS needs the 
information to:
    [sbull] Determine if measurement equipment is properly installed, 
provides accurate measurement of production on which royalty is due, 
and is operating properly;
    [sbull] Obtain rates of production data in allocating the volumes 
of production measured at royalty sales meters, which can be examined 
during field inspections;
    [sbull] Ascertain if all removals of oil and condensate from the 
lease are reported;
    [sbull] Determine the amount of oil that was shipped when 
measurements are taken by gauging the tanks rather than being measured 
by a meter;
    [sbull] Ensure that the sales location is secure and that 
production cannot be removed without the volumes being recorded; and
    [sbull] Review proving reports to verify that data on run tickets 
are calculated and reported accurately.
    MMS 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, ``Data and information to be made available to the 
public.'' No items of a sensitive nature are collected. Responses are 
mandatory.
    Frequency: Varies by section but primarily monthly or ``on 
occasion.''
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130 
Federal OCS oil and gas or sulphur lessees.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The 
currently approved annual reporting burden for this collection is 6,540 
hours. The following chart details the individual components and 
respective hour burden estimates of this ICR. In calculating the 
burdens, MMS 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.

[[Page 65306]]



------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      Reporting or       Hour burden per
 Citation 30 CFR 250 subpart L       recordkeeping         response or
                                      requirement            record
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         Reporting Requirements
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1202(a)(1), (b)(1).............  Submit liquid          8 hours.
                                  hydrocarbon
                                  measurement
                                  procedures
                                  application and/or
                                  changes.
1202(a)(4).....................  Copy & send pipeline   \3/4\ hour.
                                  (retrograde)
                                  condensate volumes
                                  upon request.
1202(c)(4)*....................  Copy & send all        1 minute.
                                  liquid hydrocarbon
                                  run tickets monthly.
1202(d)(4).....................  Request approval for   1 hour.
                                  proving on a
                                  schedule other than
                                  monthly.
1202(d)(5)*....................  Copy & submit liquid   1 minute.
                                  hydrocarbon royalty
                                  meter proving
                                  reports monthly &
                                  request waiver as
                                  needed.
1202(f)(2)*....................  Copy & submit          10 minutes.
                                  mechanical-
                                  displacement prover
                                  & tank prover
                                  calibration reports.
1202(l)(2)*....................  Copy & submit royalty  10 minutes.
                                  tank calibration
                                  charts before using
                                  for royalty
                                  measurement.
1202(l)(3)*....................  Copy & submit          \1/4\ hour.
                                  inventory tank
                                  calibration charts
                                  upon request.
1203(b)(1).....................  Submit application     8 hours.
                                  for gas measurement
                                  procedures or
                                  changes.
1203(b)(6), (8), (9)*..........  Copy & submit gas      80% @ 5 mins.
                                  quality and volume    20% @ 30 mins.
                                  statements upon
                                  request (80% of
                                  these will be
                                  routine; 20% will
                                  take longer).
1203(c)(4)*....................  Copy & submit gas      5 minutes.
                                  meter calibration
                                  reports upon request.
1203(e)(1)*....................  Copy & submit gas      \1/2\ hour.
                                  processing plant
                                  records upon request.
1203(f)(5).....................  Copy & submit          5 minutes.
                                  measuring records of
                                  gas lost or used on
                                  lease upon request.
1204(a)(1).....................  Submit application     8 hours.
                                  for commingling of
                                  production or
                                  changes.
1204(a)(2).....................  Provide state          1 hour.
                                  production
                                  volumetric and/or
                                  fractional analysis
                                  data upon request.
1205(a)(2).....................  Post signs at royalty  1 hour.
                                  or inventory tank
                                  used in royalty
                                  determination
                                  process.
1205(a)(4).....................  Report security        \1/4\ hour
                                  problems (telephone).
1200 thru 1205.................  General departure and  1 hour.
                                  alternative
                                  compliance requests
                                  not specifically
                                  covered elsewhere in
                                  subpart L.
--------------------------------
                       Recordkeeping Requirements
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1202(c)(1), (2)................  Record observed data,  Respondents
                                  correction factors &   record these
                                  net standard volume    items as part
                                  on royalty meter and   of normal
                                  tank run tickets.      business
                                                         records &
                                                         practices to
                                                         verify accuracy
                                                         of production
                                                         measured for
                                                         sale purposes.
1202(e)(4).....................  Record master meter
                                  calibration runs.
1202(h)(1), (2), (3), (4)......  Record mechanical-
                                  displacement prover,
                                  master meter, or
                                  tank prover proof
                                  runs.
1202(i)(1)(iv), (2)(iii).......  Record liquid
                                  hydrocarbon royalty
                                  meter malfunction
                                  and repair or
                                  adjustment on
                                  proving report;
                                  record unregistered
                                  production on run
                                  ticket.
1202(j)........................  List Cpl and Ctl
                                  factors on run
                                  tickets.
1202(e)(6).....................  Retain master meter    1 minute.
                                  calibration reports
                                  for 2 years.
1202(k)(5).....................  Retain liquid           1 minute.
                                  hydrocarbon
                                  allocation meter
                                  proving reports for
                                  2 years.
1202(l)(3).....................  Retain liquid          5 minutes.
                                  hydrocarbon
                                  inventory tank
                                  calibration charts
                                  for as long as tanks
                                  are in use.
1203(c)(4).....................  Retain calibration     1 minute.
                                  reports for 2 years.
1203(f)(4).....................  Document & retain      1 minute.
                                  measurement records
                                  on gas lost or used
                                  on lease for 2 years
                                  at field location
                                  and minimum 7 years
                                  at location of
                                  respondent's choice.
1204(b)(3).....................  Retain well test data  2 minutes.
                                  for 2 years.
1205(b)(3), (4)................  Retain seal number     2 minutes.
                                  lists for 2 years.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Respondents gather this information as part of their normal business
  practices. MMS only requires copies of readily available documents.
  There is no burden for testing, meter reading, etc.

    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: We 
have identified no ``non-hour cost'' burdens.
    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: Before submitting an ICR to OMB, PRA section 
3506(c)(2)(A) 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.
    Agencies must also estimate the ``non-hour cost'' burdens to 
respondents or

[[Page 65307]]

recordkeepers resulting from the collection of information. Therefore, 
if you have costs to generate, maintain, and disclose this information, 
you should comment and provide your total capital and startup cost 
components or annual operation, maintenance, and purchase of service 
components. You should describe the methods you use to estimate major 
cost factors, including system and technology acquisition, expected 
useful life of capital equipment, discount rate(s), and the period over 
which you incur costs. Capital and startup costs include, among other 
items, computers and software you purchase to prepare for collecting 
information, monitoring, and record storage facilities. You should not 
include estimates for equipment or services purchased: (i) Before 
October 1, 1995; (ii) to comply with requirements not associated with 
the information collection; (iii) for reasons other than to provide 
information or keep records for the Government; or (iv) as part of 
customary and usual business or private practices.
    We will summarize written responses to this notice and address them 
in our submission for OMB approval. As a result of your comments, we 
will make any necessary adjustments to the burden in our submission to 
OMB.
    Public Comment Policy: MMS's practice is to make comments, 
including names and home addresses of respondents, available for public 
review during regular business hours. If you wish your name and/or 
address to be withheld, you must state this prominently at the 
beginning of your comment. MMS will honor this request to the extent 
allowable by law; however, anonymous comments will not be considered. 
All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals 
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations 
or businesses, will be made available for public inspection in their 
entirety.
    MMS Federal Register Liaison Officer: Denise Johnson, (202) 208-
3976.

    Dated: November 12, 2003.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 03-28834 Filed 11-18-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P