[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 167 (Monday, August 30, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52914-52916]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-19649]


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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 (1010-0067).

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

[[Page 52915]]

related documents. This notice also provides the public a second 
opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of these regulatory 
requirements.

DATES: Submit written comments by September 29, 2004.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments either by fax (202) 395-6566 or 
email ([email protected]) directly to the Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for the Department 
of the Interior (1010-0067). 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. If you wish to email your comments to 
MMS, the address is: [email protected]. Reference Information 
Collection 1010-0067 in your subject line and mark your message for 
return receipt. Include your name and return address in your message 
text.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Blundon, Rules Processing Team, 
telephone (703) 787-1600. You may also contact Cheryl Blundon to obtain 
a copy, at no cost, of the regulations that require the subject 
collection of information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: 30 CFR 250, Subpart E, Oil and Gas Well-Completion 
Operations.
    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 preserve, protect, and develop 
oil and gas resources in the OCS; make such resources available to meet 
the Nation's energy needs as rapidly as possible; balance orderly 
energy resources development with protection of the human, marine, and 
coastal environment; ensure the public a fair and equitable return on 
resources offshore; and 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. The MMS 
district and regional offices plan to issue an NTL, in the future, and 
they will use paperwork requirements in this new proposed Gulf of 
Mexico Region NTL to determine that production from wells with SCP 
continues to afford the greatest possible degree of safety under these 
conditions.
    Responses are mandatory. No questions of a ``sensitive'' nature are 
asked. MMS will protect proprietary information according to 30 CFR 
250.196 (Data and information to be made available to the public) and 
30 CFR part 252 (OCS Oil and Gas Information Program).
    Frequency: Varies by section, but is mostly ``on occasion'' or 
annual.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130 
Federal OCS oil and gas or sulphur lessees.
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The 
following chart details the components of the information collection 
requirements in subpart E, which we estimate to be a total of 11,995 
burden hours. In estimating the burden, 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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                                                                                                         Annual
 Citation 30 CFR 250 subpart E   Reporting & recordkeeping (R/K)      Burden per       Average annual    burden
        & LTL/NTL sec.                     requirement               requirement         responses        hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
502...........................  Request approval not to shut-in   1 hour...........  45 requests......        45
                                 well during equipment movement.
502...........................  Notify MMS of well-completion        Burden covered under 1010-0150            0
                                 rig movement on or off platform
                                 or from well to well on same
                                 platform (form MMS-144).
505; 513; 515(a); 516(g), (j);  Submit forms MMS-123, MMS-124,    Burden covered under 1010-0044, 1010-        0
                                 MMS-125 for various approvals,              0045, 1010-0046
                                 including remediation procedure
                                 for SCP.
512...........................  Request field well-completion     1 hour...........  2 requests.......         2
                                 rules be established and
                                 canceled (on occasion, however,
                                 there have been no requests in
                                 many years).
515(a)........................  Submit well-control procedure...  1 hour...........  16 procedures....        16
517(b)........................  Pressure test, caliper, or        9 hours..........  399 reports......     3,591
                                 otherwise evaluate tubing &
                                 wellhead equipment casing;
                                 submit results (every 30 days
                                 during prolonged operations).
517(c); LTL*/ NTL.............  Notify MMS if sustained casing    \1/4\ hour.......  513 notices......       129
                                 pressure is observed on a well.
LTL/NTL.......................  Report failure of casing          4 hours..........  1,002 submissions     4,008
                                 pressure to bleed to zero
                                 including plan to remediate.
LTL/NTL.......................  Notify MMS when remediation       1 hour...........  11 notices.......        11
                                 procedure is complete.
Future NTL....................  Appeal departure request denial         Burden covered 1010-0121               0
                                 according to 30 CFR Part 290.

[[Page 52916]]

 
500-517.......................  General departure and             2 hours..........  264 requests.....       528
                                 alternative compliance requests
                                 not specifically covered
                                 elsewhere in Subpart E
                                 regulations.
                                                                 --------------------
                                 Subtotal--Reporting............  .................  2,252............     8,330
                                                                 ====================
506...........................  Instruct crew members in safety   20 minutes.......  810 completions x     1,080
                                 requirements of operations to                        4 = 3,240.
                                 be performed; document meeting
                                 (weekly for 2 crews x 2 weeks
                                 per completion = 4).
511...........................  Perform operational check of      6 minutes........  810 completions x       162
                                 traveling-block safety device;                       2 = 1,620.
                                 document results (weekly x 2
                                 weeks per completion = 2).
516 tests; 516(i),(j).........  Record BOP test results; retain   \1/4\ hour.......  810 completions..       203
                                 records 2 years following
                                 completion of well (when
                                 installed; minimum every 7
                                 days; as stated for component).
516(d)(5) test; 516(i)........  Function test annulars and rams;  \1/2\ hour.......  810 completions..       405
                                 document results (every 7 days
                                 between BOP tests--biweekly;
                                 note: part of BOP test when
                                 conducted).
516(e)........................  Record reason for postponing BOP  10 minutes.......  46 postponed              8
                                 system tests (on occasion).                          tests.
516(f)........................  Perform crew drills; record       \1/2\ hour.......  810 completions x     1,620
                                 results (weekly for 2 crews x 2                      4 = 3,240.
                                 weeks per completion = 4).
LTL...........................  Retain complete record of well's  \1/4\ hour.......  134 records......        34
                                 casing pressure for 2 years and
                                 retain diagnostic test records
                                 permanently.
LTL...........................  Record diagnostic test results..  \1/4\ hours......  610 tests/              153
                                                                                      recordings.
                                                                 --------------------
                                 Subtotal--Recordkeeping........  .................  10,510...........     3,665
                                                                 ====================
                                 Total Hour Burden..............  .................  12,762...........   11,995
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* LTL dated 13 January 1994.

    Estimated Annual 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 February 27, 
2004, we published a Federal Register notice (69 FR 9367) announcing 
that we would submit this ICR to OMB for approval. The notice provided 
the required 60-day comment period. In addition, 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 September 29, 
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.
    Information Collection Clearance Officer: Arlene Bajusz (202) 208-
7744.

    Dated: May 18, 2004.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 04-19649 Filed 8-27-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P