[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 24, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74645-74647]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-31626]


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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 (1010-0043).

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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 F, ``Oil and 
Gas Well-Workover Operations.''

DATES: Submit written comments by February 23, 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 1010-0043'' 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 F, Oil and Gas Well-Workover Operations.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0043.
    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

[[Page 74646]]

efficient exploration and development of a lease area.'' These 
authorities and responsibilities are among those delegated to MMS under 
which we issue regulations to ensure that operations in the OCS will 
meet statutory requirements; provide for safety and protection of the 
environment; and result in diligent exploration, development, and 
production of OCS leases. This information collection request addresses 
the regulations at 30 CFR 250, subpart F, Oil and Gas Well-Workover 
Operations and the associated supplementary notices to lessees and 
operators intended to provide clarification, description, or 
explanation of these regulations.
    MMS District Supervisors use the information collected to analyze 
and evaluate planned well-workover operations to ensure that operations 
result in personnel safety and protection of the environment. They use 
this evaluation in making decisions to approve, disapprove, or to 
require modification to the proposed well-workover operations. For 
example, MMS uses the information to:
    [sbull] Review log entries of crew meetings to verify that safety 
procedures have been properly reviewed.
    [sbull] Review well-workover procedures relating to hydrogen 
sulfide (H2S) to ensure the safety of the crew in the event 
of encountering H2S.
    [sbull] Review well-workover diagrams and procedures to ensure the 
safety of well-workover operations.
    [sbull] Verify that the crown block safety device is operating and 
can be expected to function and avoid accidents.
    [sbull] Verify that the proposed operation of the annular preventer 
is technically correct and will provide adequate protection for 
personnel, property, and natural resources.
    [sbull] Verify the reasons for postponing blowout preventer (BOP) 
tests, verify the state of readiness of the equipment and to ascertain 
that the equipment meets safety standards and requirements, ensure that 
BOP tests have been conducted in the manner and frequency to promote 
personnel safety and protect natural resources. Specific testing 
information must be recorded to verify that the proper test procedures 
were followed.
    [sbull] Assure that the well-workover operations are conducted on 
well casing that is structurally competent.
    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, ``Data and information to be made available to the 
public.'' No items of a sensitive nature are collected. Responses are 
mandatory.
    Frequency: The frequency varies by section, but is 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 
19,205 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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                                                  Reporting or
       Citation 30 CFR 250 subpart F              recordkeeping                       Hour burden
                                                   requirement
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                                             Reporting Requirements
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602.......................................  Request exceptions prior  1.
                                             to moving well-workover
                                             equipment.
602.......................................  Notify MMS of any rig     Burden included in 1010-0150.
                                             movement within Gulf of
                                             Mexico (form MMS-144).
605; 613; 615(a)..........................  Request approval to       Burden included in 1010-0045 and 1010-
                                             begin subsea well-        0046.
                                             workover operations;
                                             submit forms MMS-124
                                             and MMS-125.
612.......................................  Request establishment/    1.
                                             amendment/cancellation
                                             of field well-workover
                                             rules.
614.......................................  Post number of stands of  .25.
                                             drill pipe or workover
                                             string and drill
                                             collars that may be
                                             pulled prior to filling
                                             the hole and equivalent
                                             well-control fluid
                                             volume.
616(a)....................................  Request exception to      2.
                                             rated working pressure
                                             of the BOP equipment;
                                             request exception to
                                             annular-type BOP
                                             testing.
617(b)....................................  Pressure test, caliper,   6.
                                             or otherwise evaluate
                                             tubing & wellhead
                                             equipment casing;
                                             submit results (every
                                             30 days during
                                             prolonged operations).
617(c)....................................  Notify MMS if sustained   .25.
                                             casing pressure is
                                             observed on a well.
600-618...................................  General departure and     2.
                                             alternative compliance
                                             requests not
                                             specifically covered
                                             elsewhere in subpart F
                                             regulations.
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                                           Recordkeeping Requirements
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
606.......................................  Instruct crew members in  1.
                                             safety requirements of
                                             operations to be
                                             performed; document
                                             meeting (weekly for 2
                                             crews x 2 weeks per
                                             workover = 4).
611.......................................  Perform operational       1.
                                             check of traveling-
                                             block safety device;
                                             document results
                                             (weekly x 2 weeks per
                                             workover = 2).
616(a), (b), (d), (e).....................  Perform BOP pressure      8.
                                             tests, actuations,
                                             inspections &
                                             certifications; record
                                             results; retain records
                                             2 years following
                                             completion of workover
                                             activities (when
                                             installed; at a minimum
                                             every 7 days x 2 weeks
                                             per workover = 2).
616(b)(2).................................  Test blind or blind-      1.
                                             shear rams; document
                                             results (every 30 days
                                             during operations).
                                             (Note: this is part of
                                             BOP test when BOP test
                                             is conducted.).
616(b)(2).................................  Record reason for         .5.
                                             postponing BOP system
                                             tests.
616(c)....................................  Perform crew drills;      1.
                                             record results (weekly
                                             for 2 crews x 2 weeks
                                             per workover = 4).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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

[[Page 74647]]

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 ``[hairsp]* * * 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.
    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: December 16, 2003.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 03-31626 Filed 12-23-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P