[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 136 (Friday, July 16, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42767-42769]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-16198]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submitted for Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) Review; 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), we 
are notifying the public that we have submitted to OMB an information 
collection request (ICR) to renew approval of the paperwork 
requirements in the regulations under 30 CFR 250, Subpart Q 
``Decommissioning Activities.'' This notice also provides the public a 
second opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of these 
regulatory requirements.

DATES: Submit written comments by August 16, 2004.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments either by fax (202) 395-6566 or e-
mail ([email protected]) directly to the Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for the Department 
of the Interior (1010-0142). Mail or hand carry a copy of your comments 
to the Department of the Interior; Minerals Management Service; 
Attention: Rules Processing Team; Mail Stop 4024; 381 Elden Street; 
Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Arlene Bajusz, Rules Processing Team, 
(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.
    The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act, as amended (43 U.S.C. 
1331 et seq. and 43 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.),

[[Page 42768]]

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:
     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.
     The information submitted in initial decommissioning plans 
in the Alaska and Pacific OCS Regions will permit MMS to become 
involved in the ground-floor planning of the world-class platform 
removals anticipated to occur in these OCS regions.
     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.
     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.
     The information is necessary to verify that 
decommissioning activities comply with approved applications and 
procedures and are satisfactorily completed.
    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 
estimated annual ``hour'' burden for this information collection is a 
total of 8,579 hours. The following chart details the individual 
components and estimated hour burdens. 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.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                         Annual
  Citation 30 CFR 250 Subpart Q      Reporting requirement       Hour burden         Average number      burden
                                                                                    annual responses     hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1703; 1704.......................  Request approval for                Burden included below                   0
                                    decommissioning.
1704(g); 1712; 1716; 1717;         Submit form MMS-124 to         Burden included under 1010-0045              0
 1721(a), (f), (g); 1722(a), (b),   plug wells; provide
 (d); 1723(b); 1743(a).             subsequent report;
                                    request 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       15 minutes.........  550 notices........        138
                                    before beginning
                                    operations to
                                    permanently plug a well.
1721(e); 1722(e), (h)(1); 1741(c)  Identify and report             U.S. Coast Guard requirements       .........
                                    subsea wellheads,
                                    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 days    15 minutes.........  10 notices.........          3
                                    if trawl does not pass
                                    over protective device
                                    or causes damages to
                                    it; or if inspection
                                    reveals casing stub or
                                    mud line suspension is
                                    no longer protected.
1721; 1722(f), (g)(3)............  Submit annual report on   2..................  75 reports.........        150
                                    plans for re-entry to
                                    complete or permanently
                                    abandon the well and
                                    inspection report.
1722(h)..........................  Request waiver of         2..................  5 requests.........         10
                                    trawling test.
1704(a); 1726....................  Submit initial            20.................  2 applications.....         40
                                    decommissioning
                                    application in the
                                    Pacific OCS Region and
                                    Alaska OCS Region.
1704(b); 1725; 1727; 1728; 1730..  Submit final application  10.................  150 applications...      1,500
                                    to remove 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       15 minutes.........  150 notices........         38
                                    before beginning
                                    removal of platform and
                                    other facilities.
1704(c); 1729....................  Submit post platform or   8..................  150 reports........      1,200
                                    other facility removal
                                    report.

[[Page 42769]]

 
1740; 1743(b)....................  Request approval to use   8..................  75 requests........        600
                                    alternative methods of
                                    well site, platform, or
                                    other facility
                                    clearance.
1743(b)..........................  Verify permanently        12.................  150 verifications..      1,800
                                    plugged well, platform,
                                    or other facility
                                    removal site cleared of
                                    obstructions and submit
                                    certification letter.
1704(d); 1751; 1752..............  Submit application to     8..................  300 applications...      2,400
                                    decommission pipeline
                                    in place or remove
                                    pipeline.
1753.............................  Submit post pipeline      2..................  300 reports........        600
                                    decommissioning report.
1700 thru 1754...................  General departure and     2..................  50 requests........        100
                                    alternative compliance
                                    requests not
                                    specifically covered
                                    elsewhere in subpart Q
                                    regulations.
    Total Hour Burden............  ........................  ...................  1,967..............      8,579
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: We 
have identified no paperwork ``non-hour cost'' burdens associated with 
the collection of information.
    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: Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et 
seq.) 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.
    To comply with the public consultation process, on November 19, 
2003, we published a Federal Register notice (68 FR 65307) announcing 
that we would submit this ICR to OMB for approval. The notice provided 
the required 60-day comment period. In addition, Sec.  250.199 provides 
the OMB control number for the information collection requirements 
imposed by the 30 CFR 250 regulations and forms. The regulation also 
informs the public that they may comment at any time on the collections 
of information and provides the address to which they should send 
comments. We have received no comments in response to these efforts.
    If you wish to comment in response to this notice, you may send 
your comments to the offices listed under the ADDRESSES section of this 
notice. OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the information 
collection but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, to ensure maximum 
consideration, OMB should receive public comments by August 16, 2004.
    Public Comment Policy: MMS's practice is to make comments, 
including names and 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 the request to the extent 
allowable by the 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: March 16, 2004.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 04-16198 Filed 7-15-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-U