[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 223 (Wednesday, November 19, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65307-65309]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-28835]


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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 (1010-0142).

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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 we will submit 
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 Q 
``Decommissioning Activities.''

DATES: 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 1010-0142'' 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 part 250, subpart Q, Decommissioning Activities.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0142.
    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 will 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.
    Section 1332(6) states that ``operations in the [O]uter Continental 
Shelf should be conducted in a safe manner by well trained personnel 
using technology, precautions, and other techniques sufficient to 
prevent or minimize the likelihood of blowouts, loss of well control, 
fires, spillages, physical obstructions 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.''
    The regulations at 30 CFR 250, subpart Q, implement these 
requirements and concern decommissioning of platforms, wells, and 
pipelines, as well as site clearance and platform removal. The MMS uses 
the information collected under subpart Q in the following ways:
    [sbull] To determine the necessity for allowing a well to be 
temporarily abandoned, the lessee/operator must demonstrate that there 
is a reason for not permanently abandoning the well, and the temporary 
abandonment will not constitute a significant threat to fishing, 
navigation, or other uses of the seabed. MMS uses the information and 
documentation to verify that the lessee is diligently pursuing the 
final disposition of the well and that the lessee has performed the 
temporary plugging of the wellbore.
    [sbull] The information submitted in ``initial'' decommissioning 
plans in the Alaska and Pacific OCS Regions will permit MMS to become 
involved on the ground floor planning of the world-class platform 
removals anticipated to occur in these OCS regions.
    [sbull] Site clearance and platform or pipeline removal information 
ensures that all objects (wellheads, platforms, etc.) installed on the 
OCS are properly removed using procedures that will protect marine life 
and the environment during removal operations and that the site is 
cleared so as not to conflict with or harm other uses of the OCS.
    [sbull] Decommissioning a pipeline in place is needed to ensure 
that it will not constitute a hazard to navigation and commercial 
fishing operations, unduly interfere with other uses of the OCS, or 
have adverse environmental effects.
    [sbull] The information is necessary to verify that decommissioning 
activities comply with approved applications and procedures and are 
satisfactorily completed.
    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

[[Page 65308]]

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: On occasion, annual, and as specified in sections.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 236 
Federal OCS oil, gas, and sulphur lessees and holders of pipeline 
rights-of-way.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The 
currently approved annual reporting burden for this collection is 6,071 
hours. The following chart details the individual components and 
respective hour burden estimates of this ICR. 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.

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Citation 30 CFR 250  Subpart
              Q                         Reporting requirement                          Hour burden
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1703; 1704..................  Request approval for decommissioning....  Burden included below.
1704(g); 1712; 1716; 1717;    Submit form MMS-124 to plug wells;        Burden included under 1010-0045.
 1721(a), (f), (g); 1722(a),   provide subsequent report; request
 (b), (d); 1723(b); 1743(a).   alternate depth departure; request
                               procedure to protect obstructions above
                               seafloor; report results of trawling;
                               certify area cleared of obstructions;
                               remove casing stub or mud line
                               suspension equipment and subsea
                               protective covering; or other
                               departures.
1713........................  Notify MMS 48 hours before beginning      15 minutes.
                               operations to permanently plug a well.
1721(e); 1722(e), (h)(1);     Identify and report subsea wellheads,     U.S. Coast Guard requirements.
 1741(c).                      casing stubs, or other obstructions;
                               mark wells protected by a dome; mark
                               location to be cleared as navigation
                               hazard.
1722(c), (g)(2).............  Notify MMS within 5 days if trawl does    15 minutes.
                               not pass over protective device or
                               causes damages to it; or if inspection
                               reveals casing stub or mud line
                               suspension is no longer protected.
1722(f), (g)(3).............  Submit annual report on plans for re-     2.
                               entry to complete or permanently
                               abandon the well and inspection report.
1722(h).....................  Request waiver of trawling test.........  2.
1704(a); 1726...............  Submit initial decommissioning            20.
                               application in the Pacific OCS Region
                               and Alaska OCS Region.
1704(b); 1725; 1727; 1728;    Submit final application to remove        8.
 1730.                         platform or other subsea facility
                               structures (including alternate depth
                               departure) or approval to maintain, to
                               conduct other operations, or to convert
                               to artificial reef.
1725(e).....................  Notify MMS 48 hours before beginning      15 minutes.
                               removal of platform and other
                               facilities.
1704(c); 1729...............  Submit post platform or other facility    2.
                               removal report.
1740; 1743(b)...............  Request approval to use alternative       4.
                               methods of well site, platform, or
                               other facility clearance.
1743(b).....................  Verify permanently plugged well,          12.
                               platform, or other facility removal
                               site cleared of obstructions and submit
                               certification letter.
1704(d); 1751; 1752.........  Submit application to decommission        8.
                               pipeline in place or remove pipeline.
1753........................  Submit post pipeline decommissioning      2.
                               report.
1700 thru 1754..............  General departure and alternative         2.
                               compliance requests not specifically
                               covered elsewhere in subpart Q
                               regulations.
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    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: 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 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.
    MMS will summarize written responses to this notice and address 
them in the submission for OMB approval. As a result of your comments, 
MMS will make any necessary adjustments to the burden in the 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

[[Page 65309]]

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 at (202) 208-
3976.

    Dated: November 12, 2003.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 03-28835 Filed 11-18-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P