[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 79 (Friday, April 23, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22019-22025]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-9246]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Energy Information Administration (EIA), Department of Energy 
(DOE).

ACTION: Agency information collection activities: proposed collection; 
comment request.

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SUMMARY: The EIA is soliciting comments on a proposed new Form EIA-914, 
``Monthly Natural Gas Production Report.''

DATES: Comments must be filed by June 22, 2004. If you anticipate 
difficulty in submitting comments within that period, contact the 
person listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Barry Yaffe. To ensure receipt of the 
comments by the due date, submission by FAX (202-586-9739) or e-mail 
([email protected]) is recommended. The mailing address is Office 
of Oil and Gas, EI-40, Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy, 
Washington, DC 20585. Alternatively, Barry Yaffe may be contacted by 
telephone at 202-586-4412.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to Barry Yaffe at the address listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    I. Background
    II. Current Actions
    III. Request for Comments

I. Background

    The Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-275, 15 
U.S.C. 761 et seq.) and the DOE Organization Act (Pub. L. 95-91, 42 
U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) require the EIA to carry out a centralized, 
comprehensive, and unified energy information program. This program 
collects, evaluates, assembles, analyzes, and disseminates information 
on energy resource reserves, production, demand, technology, and 
related economic and statistical information. This information is used 
to assess the adequacy of energy resources to meet near and longer-term 
domestic demand.
    The EIA, as part of its effort to comply with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. chapter 35), provides 
the public and government agencies with opportunities to comment on 
collections of energy information conducted by or in conjunction with 
the EIA. Any comments received help the EIA to prepare data requests 
that maximize the utility of the information collected and to assess 
the impact of collection requirements on the public. Later, the EIA 
plans to seek approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
under Section 3507(a) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
    EIA is proposing a new sample survey, Form EIA-914, ``Monthly 
Natural Gas Production Report.'' Using Form EIA-914, EIA's ability to 
reliably estimate and disseminate timely monthly natural gas production 
data for the United States and its top producing areas would improve 
significantly. The applicable elements of the natural gas production 
activity stream are shown in Figure 1; the associated definitions are 
shown in Table 1.
    The primary quantity to be measured by the survey is ``natural gas 
lease production.'' Similar volumes are sometimes referred to as 
``sales production'' or ``gas available for sales.'' This quantity 
indicates the net amount of produced gas that leaves the lease, going 
either to natural gas processing plants or directly to end-users. Other 
quantities to be reported are ``gross withdrawals (wet)'' (i.e., full-
bore wellstream gas minus lease condensate, oil and water), gas used as 
fuel on leases, gas used for repressuring and reinjection, quantities 
vented and flared on leases, and nonhydrocarbons removed on leases. 
Gross withdrawals (wet) is sometimes referred to as ``wet gas after 
lease separation.'' The proposed survey form and instructions are 
available at http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/fwd/proposed.html.
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P

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[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR23AP04.013

BILLING CODE 6450-01-C

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Table 1. Definitions

    Wellhead: The point at which the natural gas exits the ground.
    Lease separation facility (lease separator): A facility installed 
at the surface for the purpose of (a) separating gases from produced 
crude oil and water at the temperature and pressure conditions set by 
the separator and/or (b) separating gases from that portion of the 
produced natural gas stream that liquefies at the temperature and 
pressure conditions set by the separator.
    Natural gas processing plant: A surface installation designed to 
separate and recover natural gas liquids from a stream of produced 
natural gas through the processes of condensation, absorption, 
adsorption, refrigeration, or other methods and to control the quality 
of natural gas marketed and/or returned to oil or gas reservoirs for 
pressure maintenance, repressuring, or cycling.
    Gross withdrawals (wet): Full well stream volume, including all 
natural gas plant liquid and nonhydrocarbon gases, but excluding lease 
condensate, oil and water. Also includes amounts delivered as royalty 
payments or consumed in field operations.
    Lease condensate: A mixture consisting primarily of pentanes and 
heavier hydrocarbons that is recovered as a liquid from natural gas in 
lease or field separation facilities. This category excludes natural 
gas plant liquids, such as butane and propane, which are recovered at 
natural gas processing plants or facilities.
    Wet natural gas: A mixture of hydrocarbon compounds and small 
quantities of various nonhydrocarbons existing in the gaseous phase or 
in solution with crude oil in porous rock formations at reservoir 
conditions. The principal hydrocarbons normally contained in the 
mixture are methane, ethane, propane, butane, and pentane. Typical 
nonhydrocarbon gases that may be present in reservoir natural gas are 
water vapor, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen and trace 
amounts of helium. Under reservoir conditions, natural gas and its 
associated liquefiable portions occur either in a single gaseous phase 
in the reservoir or in solution with crude oil and are not 
distinguishable at the time as separate substances. Note: The 
Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Accounting 
Standards Board refer to this product as natural gas.
    Dry natural gas: Natural gas which remains after: (1) The 
liquefiable hydrocarbon portion has been removed from the gas stream 
(i.e., gas after lease, field, and/or plant separation); and (2) any 
volumes of nonhydrocarbon gases have been removed where they occur in 
sufficient quantity to render the gas unmarketable. Note: Dry natural 
gas is also known as consumer-grade natural gas. The parameters for 
measurement are cubic feet at 60 degrees Fahrenheit and 14.73 pounds 
per square inch absolute.
    Repressuring and reinjection: The injection of gas into oil or gas 
formations to effect greater ultimate recovery.
    Vented and flared: Gas that is disposed of by releasing (venting) 
or burning (flaring).
    Extraction loss: The reduction in volume of natural gas due to the 
removal of natural gas liquid constituents such as ethane, propane, and 
butane at natural gas processing plants.
    Nonhydrocarbon Gases: Typical nonhydrocarbon gases that may be 
present in reservoir natural gas, such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen 
sulfide, helium, nitrogen and water vapor.
    Marketed production (wet): Gross withdrawals (wet) less gas used 
for repressuring and reinjection, quantities vented and flared, 
nonhydrocarbon gases removed in treating or processing operations, and 
gas used as fuel on lease. Includes all dry natural gas plus quantities 
of gas consumed in lease and processing plant operations. Natural Gas 
Lease Production is equal to the sum of marketed wet production (to 
processing plants) and marketed wet production going directly to end-
users (no further processing).

A. EIA's Current Method to Generate Estimates of Natural Gas Production

    Currently the EIA publishes monthly estimates of natural gas 
production in the Natural Gas Monthly [by State, Gulf of Mexico and 
total United States] and the Monthly Energy Review [total United 
States], and annually in the Natural Gas Annual [by State, Gulf of 
Mexico and total United States] and Annual Energy Review [total United 
States]. EIA obtains data from the following sources:
    (1) State-level natural gas production data submitted voluntarily 
by many producing States to the EIA on Form EIA-895, ``Monthly and 
Annual Quantity and Value of Natural Gas Production Report,''
    (2) Other State-level natural gas production information obtained 
from agencies in various States (directly or from their Web sites), and
    (3) Information on offshore natural gas production collected and 
released by the Minerals Management Service (MMS) in the Department of 
Interior.
    Although EIA obtains data from these sources, the data are subject 
to reporting lags and non-reporting. The incomplete nature of the more 
recent data causes EIA to have to create estimates for a substantial 
share of recent production activity.
    The States and MMS gather natural gas production information for 
various reasons, often for revenue, taxing or conservation purposes. 
Most State and MMS production data for a given report month are not 
considered to be reliable for 12-18 months after the close of a report 
month and may not be considered ``final'' (i.e., no further revisions) 
for 2-3 years. The EIA has developed estimation methodologies that 
operate on the preliminary data from the States with larger production 
volumes and on the data from MMS, and EIA uses statistical imputation 
techniques for the States with relatively less production. EIA 
generates estimates of monthly natural gas production that are 
considered adequate for release about 120 days after the close of a 
report month. These methodologies are described in the report, ``How 
EIA Estimates Natural Gas Production,'' at http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/natural_gas/analysis_publications/ngprod/ngprod.pdf.

B. Other Alternatives to Generate Timely, Reliable and More Precise 
Estimates of Natural Gas Production

    The monthly natural gas production estimates that EIA publishes 120 
days following the close of a report month have been found, on average, 
to match ``final'' values (no further revisions) to within 3% or less 
at the national level of aggregation. While a 120-day information lag 
is a vast improvement over the timeliness of the State and MMS-provided 
source data, it is still too long for the information to be useful in 
determining near and intermediate term supplies, especially during 
natural gas peak demand periods. Also, a 3% error band is too large to 
accurately discern if production has risen or declined in a given 
month, because the monthly production variations are sometimes within 
that order of magnitude. Consequently, EIA investigated alternative 
methods to determine if there are better ways to obtain timelier and 
more precise national and State-level monthly natural gas production 
data.
    The alternatives considered were: (1) Use of Securities and 
Exchange Commission (SEC) 10-K and 10-Q submissions, (2) a survey of 
natural gas pipeline operators, (3) use of data from natural gas 
processors, and (4) a survey of well operators. The survey of well

[[Page 22022]]

operators was determined to be the only alternative that could satisfy 
EIA's requirement for more reliable and more timely natural gas 
production data.
1. SEC 10-K and 10-Q Submissions
    Companies with more than $10 million in assets (whose securities 
are registered on a national securities exchange and are held by more 
than 500 owners) must file annual and other periodic financial and 
business reports with the SEC. SEC forms are easily accessible online 
through the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval (EDGAR) 
system. Because the data are publicly available, the EIA would not be 
required to obtain permission from any entity prior to publishing data 
from the SEC. Some industry analysts use the information that companies 
file with the SEC to assess natural gas production issues. The EIA 
investigated this approach as a way to obtain reliable monthly natural 
gas production information.
    The SEC Forms 10-K and 10-Q are the two key SEC forms from which 
natural gas production volume information may be obtained. The annual 
10-K is the principal document used by most public companies to 
disclose corporate information to shareholders. It is usually a 
``state-of-the-company'' report containing financial data, results of 
continuing operations, market segment information, new product plans, 
subsidiary activities and research and development activities for 
future programs. In most cases, the 10-K is to be filed 90 days after 
the end of the fiscal year covered by the report. The EIA reviewed the 
SEC Form 10-Ks filed by a selection of natural gas producers, chosen 
based on their operator ranking in EIA's ``U.S. Crude Oil, Natural Gas 
and Natural Gas Liquids Reserves 2002 Annual Report,'' (http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/natural_gas/data_publications/crude_oil_natural_gas_reserves/cr.html). While all of the selected producers 
reported a sales volume on their SEC 10-Ks, far fewer of the selected 
producers reported either production volume or provided a regional 
breakdown of the data on their Form 10-K, information that would be 
essential if used by the EIA to estimate total United States and 
regional natural gas production.
    Additionally, even when sales volume information existed on the 
selected 10-Ks, not all data were comparable across producers because 
of inherent definitional differences. For example, production reported 
on the 10-Ks may be either gross withdrawals or marketed production. 
These volumes differ by more than 10 percent on average for the U.S. 
Reliable production estimates based on the 10-Ks would require 
resolution of definitional inconsistencies because of the significant 
impact they can have on accuracy of the results. Another problem in 
using the SEC data as a source for natural gas volume information is 
that the SEC respondents, as producers, report only their equity 
ownership portion of their natural gas production and sales, which in 
aggregate was only about 70 percent of the natural gas volumes for 
which they were operators. A problem related to the reporting of equity 
interests is that production changes between reports will reflect any 
action that changes a company's equity interests, including sales or 
purchases of producing reserves. Changes in these measures do not 
necessarily serve as a reliable proxy for changes in aggregate 
production. The quarterly SEC 10-Qs are another potential source of 
natural gas volume information, but the selected producers provided 
less information on production and sales on their 10-Qs than they did 
on their 10-Ks and the quarterly submission schedule doesn't provide 
the timely monthly data on natural gas production that are needed.
    In summary, SEC information is not timely enough and poses a number 
of problems for estimation. The SEC allows companies to report volumes 
on the basis of sales or production. When production is reported, there 
are potential definitional differences. Volumes also are affected by 
changes in equity positions unrelated to exploration and development 
activities. For these reasons, the use of SEC 10-K and 10-Q submissions 
to estimate aggregate and regional production volumes in a timely 
fashion was determined not to be a viable alternative.
2. Survey of Natural Gas Pipeline Companies
    EIA investigated surveying natural gas pipeline companies in lieu 
of well operators to obtain natural gas production information. There 
are about 60 major interstate pipelines, 30 non-major interstate 
pipelines and 113 intrastate pipelines operating in the United States, 
as compared to more than 15,000 active well operators. (Interstate 
pipeline counts are based on Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
(FERC) information on companies that filed FERC Form 2 and Form 2A in 
2002. Seventeen other companies are required to file a Form 2 or Form 
2A, but they operated liquefied natural gas (LNG) or storage 
facilities, not pipelines. The intrastate count was based on company 
self-identification of primary business type in response to Form EIA-
176, ``Annual Report of Natural and Supplemental Gas Supply and 
Disposition.'') In addition to these primary pipelines, there also are 
many gathering lines and connecting lines to interstate and intrastate 
pipelines that transport natural gas.
    While pipeline companies do collect and maintain daily volumetric 
data on receipts and deliveries of natural gas, the EIA's review 
revealed that it would not be practical to use their information to 
generate timely and accurate estimates of natural gas production. The 
principal issues of concern include avoiding multiple counting of 
volumes, identifying the type or quality of gas being transported on 
the pipeline (see Table 1), identifying appropriate pipelines for the 
frame, identifying appropriate collection and reporting points on the 
pipeline, the large number of potential data measurement points, and 
assuring data quality and timeliness.
    A serious problem to overcome in such a survey would be ensuring 
that the pipeline survey would collect only produced natural gas and 
would exclude volumes received from other pipeline systems, stored gas 
and other sources for which the gas may have been previously accounted 
for. A pipeline operator could not simply report on all volumes 
received or metered. It would be necessary to target those receipt 
points that are significantly closer to the producing fields because as 
pipelines receive natural gas further downstream from the point of 
production, there is an increasing number of interconnections with 
other pipelines, which increases the likelihood that the volumes 
received would include volumes previously recorded elsewhere.
    As volumes are reported for points upstream on any given pipeline, 
the number of receipt points and, therefore, measurement points 
escalates. For example, according to EIA data, there are 1,107 receipt 
points within Texas associated with 20 major interstate pipelines. 
There are an additional 33 intrastate and non-major interstate 
pipelines in Texas for which EIA would have to collect receipt data in 
preparation for this survey. Further, either the respondent or EIA 
would have to differentiate among a pipeline's receipt points to 
identify those that are appropriate for the survey, and those for which 
reported volumes potentially are distorted by double-counting of 
production. Although the number of companies relevant to the proposed

[[Page 22023]]

pipeline survey might seem to be a reasonable count, the magnitude of 
the actual reporting burden would be relatively large because of the 
large number of data measurement points. The initial determination of 
the set of reporting points, along with maintenance of the proper 
reporting frame, represents a significant technical challenge.
    Accuracy would become a serious problem because, while some 
pipeline companies have fairly accurate systems to measure and collect 
receipt volumes, other pipeline companies rely on the accuracy of the 
metering facilities of pipelines that they deliver natural gas to, and 
``back into'' or balance volumetric receipts based on measured 
deliveries. This method could result in multiple volume allocation 
revisions over time and degrade the accuracy of monthly data. Also, 
while the pipelines would report flow information, it is likely they 
would not be able to identify the nature of the flow volumes with 
respect to the EIA definitions. The volumes reported likely would 
represent a mixture of gas at various stages of the supply process `` 
gross withdrawals, or wet or dry marketed production. The lack of 
precision would degrade the accuracy of EIA's estimates of natural gas 
monthly production.
    For the reasons presented above, a survey of pipeline operators was 
not determined to be a viable alternative for reliably estimating 
natural gas production.
3. Use of Data From Natural Gas Processors
    In 2003 EIA began collecting monthly data from operators of natural 
gas processing plants on Form EIA-816 (Monthly Natural Gas Liquids 
Report). The form (see http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/petroleum/survey_forms/pet_survey_forms.html) collects information on the 
supply and disposition of natural gas liquids from operators of natural 
gas processing plants (which extract liquid hydrocarbons from a natural 
gas stream) and fractionators (which separate a liquid hydrocarbon 
stream into its component products.) The natural gas liquids 
information consists of beginning stocks, receipts, production, inputs, 
shipments, fuel use, losses, and ending stocks. Because the information 
collected includes the volumes of natural gas received during the month 
at all natural gas processing plants, EIA considered the use of these 
data to estimate monthly national and regional natural gas production.
    Figure A1-2 in the report, ``How EIA Estimates Natural Gas 
Production,'' (http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/natural_gas/analysis_publications/ngprod/ngprod.pdf), shows that, in 2001, 
approximately two-thirds of the natural gas produced in the United 
States went through processing plants and the remaining one third was 
sold to end-users without processing. Thus the EIA-816 natural gas 
production information captures only a portion of total natural gas 
production. In the future, as the EIA-816 production data series begin 
to span several years, it may be possible to estimate total natural gas 
production using the EIA-816 monthly data and data from annual surveys. 
However currently and for the next few years, sufficient historical 
data for such estimates do not exist and estimates of the quantity of 
gas that doesn't go through processing plants based on the portion that 
does cannot be made.
    On the other hand, a direct method to determine the quantity of 
natural gas not going through processing plants would be to survey 
those companies that have gas that is sold to end-users without further 
processing, but no method currently exists to identify these companies, 
which in 2001 accounted for almost a third of natural gas produced. For 
these reasons, using the new EIA-816 natural gas production data is not 
considered a viable method to estimate total natural gas production at 
this time.
4. Survey of Well Operators
    Because natural gas may be bought and sold many times before it 
reaches the final point of consumption, EIA investigated collecting 
production information at a point ``early in the supply chain'' to 
minimize the possibilities of multiple counting. EIA found that it 
would be feasible to collect such information from companies operating 
producing wells, as opposed to the producers. While a producer can be 
defined as the owner (or partial owner) of the wells from which the 
natural gas is produced, an operator (who may also be an owner) can be 
defined as the entity that physically operates the producing wells and 
field facilities on behalf of all owners.
    Potential survey respondents would be operators of wells in the 
United States that produce natural gas, including Federal and State 
offshore well operators. EIA estimates that approximately 250-350 
respondents would be sufficient to develop volume estimates releasable 
at a national level (with a sampling error of about 1%) and for six 
areas (Texas, Louisiana--both including State offshore, New Mexico, 
Oklahoma, Wyoming and the Federal Gulf of Mexico) with a sampling error 
of less than 5%. Marketed production (wet) in 2002 was about 16,660 bcf 
(billion cubic feet) per month. In 2002, a 1% sampling error rate at 
the national level would have corresponded to an error band of plus or 
minus about 167 bcf of gas. This error band is considered precise 
enough to accurately discern monthly production variations.
    Respondents would be selected from the survey frame for Form EIA-
23, ``Annual Survey of Domestic Oil and Gas Reserves,'' which contains 
more than 15,000 active oil and gas well operators. These operators 
already report monthly well or field-level production information to 
the States and to the MMS (for Federal offshore production). 
Respondents to the EIA-914 survey would report monthly production 
totals, not well or field-level data. The primary quantity to be 
measured by the survey is ``natural gas lease production.'' Similar 
volumes are sometimes referred to as ``sales production'' or ``gas 
available for sales.'' This quantity indicates the net amount of 
produced gas that leaves the lease, going either to natural gas 
processing plants or directly to end-users. Other quantities to be 
reported are ``gross withdrawals (wet)'' (i.e., full-bore wellstream 
gas minus lease condensate, oil and water), gas used as fuel on leases, 
gas used for repressuring and reinjection, quantities vented and flared 
on leases, and nonhydrocarbons removed on leases. Gross withdrawals 
(wet) is sometimes referred to as ``wet gas after lease separation.'' 
The proposed survey form and instructions are available at http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/fwd/proposed.html.
    The survey would be mandatory pursuant to the Federal Energy 
Administration (FEA) Act of 1974, Public Law 93-275, and would be 
subject to the provisions of the Confidential Information Protection 
and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-347) (CIPSEA), 
ensuring the confidentiality of the data and that the data would only 
be used for exclusively statistical purposes unless respondents 
provided informed consent for other uses. Because of the vital need for 
timely data, respondents would be expected to submit their survey 
responses 30 days after the end of the report month. However, EIA 
recognizes that because some respondents may need some time to be able 
to meet this requirement, for the first three months of the survey, 
respondents would be allowed 45 days after the end of a report month to 
report. The 30-day response requirement would go into effect for the 
fourth data month. Data would be submitted to the EIA by email, 
facsimile, or Internet with the secure file

[[Page 22024]]

transfer (SFT) system. The aggregated data would appear in the EIA 
publications, Natural Gas Annual, Monthly Energy Review and Natural Gas 
Monthly, and on EIA's Web site http://www.eia.doe.gov. Data elements 
for the proposed survey of well operators are listed below.

Data Elements for Form EIA-914

    1. Respondent identification data.
    2. For Total United States, Texas (including State offshore), 
Louisiana (including State offshore), Oklahoma, New Mexico, Wyoming and 
Federal Gulf of Mexico offshore area:
    a. Gross withdrawals (wet);
    b. Gas used for repressuring and reinjection;
    c. Gas vented and flared;
    d. Gas used as fuel on leases;
    e. Nonhydrocarbons removed on lease;
    f. Natural gas lease production.
    3. Quantities would be expressed in million cubic feet (MMCF).
    4. Pressure base at which all volumes are reported is 14.73 psia at 
60 degrees Fahrenheit.
    5. Comments.
    The proposed survey form and instructions are available at http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/fwd/proposed.html. Using information reported 
on Form EIA-914, EIA would publish monthly and annual natural gas 
production estimates for the United States, Texas (including State 
offshore), Louisiana (including State offshore), New Mexico, Oklahoma, 
Wyoming, the Federal Gulf of Mexico, and remaining States, to the 
extent that confidentiality for company-specific information allows.

II. Current Actions

    EIA estimates that a sample-based monthly survey of 250-350 well 
operators reporting to EIA within 30 days after the end of a report 
month would be needed for EIA to be able to publish reliable national 
and regional natural gas production information within 60 days after 
the end of a report month. The EIA plans to request approval from the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to conduct this monthly 
information collection program using Form EIA-914, ``Monthly Natural 
Gas Production Report.'' The potential survey respondents would be all 
operators of producing wells in the United States that produce natural 
gas, including offshore wells. Respondents would be selected from the 
survey frame for Form EIA-23, ``Annual Survey of Domestic Oil and Gas 
Reserves'' (more than 15,000 active well operators) according to a 
statistical sampling methodology.
    This collection is essential to the mission of the DOE in general 
and the EIA in particular. Currently there is no timely source of 
monthly natural gas production in the United States precise enough to 
discern critical monthly production variations, information which is 
crucial for informed decision and policy making before and during peak 
demand periods. The information collected through this survey is 
expected to be used widely by Federal and State agencies, industry 
analysts and the general public to monitor natural gas supplies and by 
the Congress to inform legislative debate.

III. Request for Comments

    Prospective respondents and other interested parties should comment 
on the actions discussed in item II. The following guidelines are 
provided to assist in the preparation of comments.

General Issues

    A. Is the proposed collection and dissemination of information 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency and 
does the information have practical utility? Practical utility is 
defined as the actual usefulness of information to or for an agency and 
its customers, taking into account its accuracy, adequacy, reliability, 
timeliness, and the agency's ability to process the information it 
collects.
    B. What enhancements can be made to the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected?

As a Potential Respondent to the Request for Information

    A. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the 
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information to be 
collected?
    B. The EIA is interested in collecting production data on a 
consistent basis to avoid the need for adjustments after collection 
that may distort the resulting estimates.
    (1) Can well operators provide reliable measures of gross 
withdrawals (wet), [also called ``wet gas after lease separation''] by 
State or area?
    (2) Can operators provide reliable measures of natural gas lease 
production [also called ``sales production,'' ``marketed production 
after lease separation,'' or ``natural gas available for sales''] by 
State or area?
    (3) Can operators provide reliable measures of gas used for 
reinjection, gas vented and flared, nonhydrocarbons removed, and gas 
used as fuel on leases, by State or area?
    (4) Are there other measures that could be reported more reliably?
    (5) Can the information be submitted by the due date (30 days after 
the close of the report month)?
    C. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to 
average 3 hours per respondent monthly. The estimated burden includes 
the total time necessary to provide the requested information. In your 
opinion, how accurate is this estimate?
    D. The EIA estimates that the only cost to a respondent is for the 
time it would take to complete the collection. Will a respondent incur 
any start-up costs for reporting or any recurring annual costs for 
operation, maintenance, and purchase of services associated with the 
information collection?
    E. What additional actions could be taken to minimize the burden of 
this collection of information? Such actions may involve the use of 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    F. Does any other Federal, State, or local agency (other than those 
mentioned above) collect similar information? If so, specify the 
agency, the data element(s), the methods of collection, and the 
accuracy and timeliness of results.
    G. The EIA-914 survey will be conducted under CIPSEA. Any agency 
granted access to the EIA-914 information would be required to sign a 
document agreeing to maintain the confidentiality of the information 
and to use the information for statistical purposes unless respondents 
consent to nonstatistical uses. Would your company sign an informed 
consent agreement allowing EIA to release your EIA-914 information to 
other Federal agencies for use in defined emergency situations?

As a Potential User of the Information To Be Collected

    A. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the 
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information 
disseminated?
    B. Is the information useful at the levels of detail to be 
collected?
    C. For what purpose(s) would the information be used? Please be as 
specific as possible.
    D. Are there alternate sources for the information and are they 
useful? If so, what are they and what are their weaknesses and/or 
strengths?
    Comments submitted in response to this notice would be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the form. They also 
would become a matter of public record.


[[Page 22025]]


    Statutory Authority: Section 3507(h)(1) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. chapter 35).

    Issued in Washington, DC, April 20, 2004.
Jay H. Casselberry,
Agency Clearance Officer, Statistics and Methods Group, Energy 
Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 04-9246 Filed 4-22-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P