[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 239 (Friday, December 12, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69419-69421]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-30793]


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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 two currently approved information 
collections (1010-0018 and 1010-0039).

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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), MMS 
is inviting comments on two collections of information that we will 
submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval. The information collection requests are titled ``Form MMS-
126,

[[Page 69420]]

Well Potential Test Report (WPT)'' and ``Form MMS-127, Sensitive 
Reservoir Information Report (SRI).''

DATES: Submit written comments by February 10, 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 email comments, the address is: [email protected]. 
Reference ``Information Collection Form MMS-126'' or ``Form MMS-127'' 
as appropriate in your email 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 forms MMS-126 and MMS-127.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Titles and OMB Control Numbers: Form MMS-126, Well Potential Test 
Report (WPT), 1010-0039; Form MMS-127, Sensitive Reservoir Information 
Report (SRI), 1010-0018.
    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 5(a) of the OCS Lands Act requires the Secretary to 
prescribe rules and regulations ``to provide for the prevention of 
waste, and conservation of the natural resources of the Outer 
Continental Shelf, and the protection of correlative rights therein'' 
and to include provisions ``for the prompt and efficient exploration 
and development of a lease area.''
    This information collection request (ICR) concerns forms used to 
collect information required under 30 CFR part 250. Various sections of 
30 CFR part 250, subpart K, require respondents to submit forms MMS-126 
and MMS-127. MMS District and Regional Supervisors use the information 
on form MMS-126 for various environmental, reservoir, reserves, and 
conservation analyses, including the determination of maximum 
production rates (MPRs) when necessary for certain oil and gas 
completions. The form contains information concerning the conditions 
and results of a well potential test. This requirement implements the 
conservation provisions of the OCS Lands Act and 30 CFR part 250. The 
information obtained from the well potential test is essential to 
determine if an MPR is necessary for a well and to establish the 
appropriate rate. It is not possible to specify an MPR in the absence 
of information about the production rate capability (potential) of the 
well.
    MMS District and Regional Supervisors use the information submitted 
on form MMS-127 to determine whether a rate-sensitive reservoir is 
being prudently developed. This represents an essential control 
mechanism that MMS uses to regulate production rates from each 
sensitive reservoir being actively produced. Occasionally, the 
information available on a reservoir early in its producing life may 
indicate it to be non-sensitive, while later and more complete 
information would establish the reservoir as being sensitive. 
Production from a well completed in the gas cap of a sensitive 
reservoir requires approval from the Regional Supervisor. The 
information submitted on form MMS-127 provides reservoir parameters 
that are revised at least annually or sooner if reservoir development 
results in a change in reservoir interpretation. The engineers and 
geologists use the information for rate control and reservoir studies.
    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: On occasion but not less than annually.
    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 ``hour'' burden for both forms is 1 hour each.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: MMS 
has identified no ``non-hour cost'' burden associated with either form 
MMS-126 or MMS-127.
    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.

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    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: December 5, 2003.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 03-30793 Filed 12-11-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P