[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 39 (Friday, February 27, 2004)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 9367-9369]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-4394]


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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 (1010-0067).

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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 E, Oil and 
Gas Well-Completion Operations.''

DATES: Submit written comments by April 27, 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 1010-0067'' 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 E, Oil and Gas Well-Completion.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0067.
    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) of the OCS Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1332) requires that 
``operations in the [O]uter Continental Shelf should be conducted in a 
safe manner by well-trained personnel using technology, precautions, 
and techniques sufficient to prevent or minimize the likelihood of 
blowouts, loss of well control, fires, spillages, physical obstruction 
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.'' This authority and responsibility are 
among those delegated to MMS. To carry out these responsibilities, MMS 
issues regulations governing oil and gas and sulphur operations in the 
OCS. This collection of information addresses 30 CFR part 250, subpart 
E, Oil and Gas Well-Completion Operations.
    The MMS district supervisors analyze and evaluate the information 
and data collected under subpart E to ensure that planned well-
completion operations will protect personnel safety and natural 
resources. They use the analysis and evaluation results in the decision 
to approve, disapprove, or require modification to the proposed well-
completion operations. Specifically, MMS uses the information to 
ensure: (a) Compliance with personnel safety training requirements; (b) 
crown block safety device is operating and can be expected to function 
to avoid accidents; (c) proposed operation of the annular preventer is 
technically correct and provides adequate protection for personnel, 
property, and natural resources; (d) well-completion operations are 
conducted on well casings that are structurally competent; and (e) 
sustained casing pressures are within acceptable limits.
    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 of reporting varies by section, but is 
mostly ``on occasion'' or 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 annual reporting burden for this collection is 9,520 
hours.

[[Page 9368]]

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.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      Reporting &
 Citation 30 CFR 250 subpart E    recordkeeping (R/K)      Hour burden
          & NTL Sec.                  requirement
------------------------------------------------------------------------
502...........................  Request approval not    1 hour.
                                 to shut-in well
                                 during equipment
                                 movement.
502...........................  Notify MMS of well-     Burden covered
                                 completion rig          under 1010-
                                 movement on or off      0150.
                                 platform or from well
                                 to well on same
                                 covered under
                                 platform form MMS-144.
505; 513; 515(a); 516(g), (j);  Submit forms MMS-123,   Burden covered
 NTL I.C, III.B.                 MMS-124, MMS-125 for    under 1010-
                                 various approvals,      0044, 1010-
                                 including remediation   0045, 1010-
                                 procedure for SCP.      0046.
512...........................  Request field well-     1 hour.
                                 completion rules be
                                 established and
                                 canceled (on
                                 occasion, however,
                                 there have been no
                                 requests in many
                                 years).
515(a)........................  Submit well-control     1 hour.
                                 procedure.
517(b)........................  Pressure test,          4 hours.
                                 caliper, or otherwise
                                 evaluate tubing &
                                 wellhead equipment
                                 casing; submit
                                 results (every 30
                                 days during prolonged
                                 operations).
517(c); NTL I, III.B..........  Notify MMS if           \1/4\ hour.
                                 sustained casing
                                 pressure is observed
                                 on a well.
NTL I.A, I.E, I.G, I.H, II,     Submit results of       2 hours.
 III Appendix.                   diagnostic tests,
                                 departure requests
                                 and supporting
                                 information,
                                 including plan of
                                 action for non-
                                 producing wells.
NTL I.C.......................  Notify MMS when         1 hour.
                                 remediation procedure
                                 is complete.
NTL I.D.......................  Appeal departure        Burden covered
                                 request denial          1010-0121.
                                 according to 30 CFR
                                 part 290.
500-517.......................  General departure and   2 hours.
                                 alternative
                                 compliance requests
                                 not specifically
                                 covered elsewhere in
                                 subpart E regulations.
506...........................  Instruct crew members   10 minutes.
                                 in safety
                                 requirements of
                                 operations to be
                                 performed; document
                                 meeting (weekly for 2
                                 crews x 2 weeks per
                                 completion = 4).
511...........................  Perform operational     6 minutes.
                                 check of traveling-
                                 block safety device;
                                 document results
                                 (weekly x 2 weeks per
                                 completion = 2).
516 tests; 516(i), (j)........  Perform BOP pressure    6 hours.
                                 tests, actuations &
                                 inspections; record
                                 results; retain
                                 records 2 years
                                 following completion
                                 of well (when
                                 installed; minimum
                                 every 14 days; as
                                 stated for component).
516(d)(5) test; 516(i)........  Function test annulars  10 minutes.
                                 and rams; document
                                 results (every 7 days
                                 between BOP tests--
                                 biweekly; note: part
                                 of BOP test when
                                 conducted).
516(e)........................  Record reason for       6 minutes.
                                 postponing BOP system
                                 tests (on occasion).
516(f)........................  Perform crew drills;    \1/2\ hour.
                                 record results
                                 (weekly for 2 crews x
                                 2 weeks per
                                 completion = 4).
NTL I.F.......................  Retain complete record  \1/4\ hours.
                                 of well's casing
                                 pressure and
                                 diagnostic tests for
                                 2 years.
NTL & Appendix................  Perform diagnostic      4 hours.
                                 tests and record
                                 results; perform
                                 follow-up tests at
                                 least annually to
                                 determine departure
                                 status.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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.
    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

[[Page 9369]]

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: February 19, 2004.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 04-4394 Filed 2-26-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P