[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 121 (Monday, June 25, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34717-34719]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-12171]


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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 an extension of an information collection (1010-
0149).

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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 I, Platforms 
and Structures.

DATES: Submit written comments by August 24, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods 
listed below. Please use the Information Collection Number 1010-0149 as 
an identifier in your message.
     E-mail MMS at [email protected]. Identify with 
Information Collection Number 1010-0149 in the subject line.
     Fax: 703-787-1093. Identify with Information Collection 
Number 1010-0149.
     Mail or hand-carry comments to the Department of the 
Interior; Minerals Management Service; Attention: Cheryl Blundon; 381 
Elden Street, MS-4024; Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817. Please reference 
``Information Collection 1010-0149'' in your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Blundon, Regulations and 
Standards Branch at (703) 787-1607. You may also contact Cheryl Blundon 
to obtain a copy, at no cost, of the regulation that requires the 
subject collection of information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: 30 CFR Part 250, Subpart I, Platforms and Structures.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0149.
    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

[[Page 34718]]

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 43 U.S.C. 1356 requires the issuance of ``* * * regulations 
which require that any vessel, rig, platform, or other vehicle or 
structure * * * (2) which is used for activities pursuant to this 
subchapter, comply * * * with such minimum standards of design, 
construction, alteration, and repair as the Secretary * * * establishes 
* * *.'' Section 43 U.S.C. 1332(6) also states, ``operations in the 
[O]uter Continental Shelf should be conducted in a safe manner * * * to 
prevent or minimize the likelihood of * * * physical obstruction to 
other users of the water or subsoil and seabed, or other occurrences 
which may cause damage to the environment or to property, or endanger 
life or health.'' These authorities and responsibilities are among 
those delegated to the Minerals Management Service (MMS) 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 Part 
250, Subpart I, Platforms and Structures, and the associated 
supplementary notices to lessees and operators (NTLs) intended to 
provide clarification, description, or explanation of these 
regulations.
    MMS uses the information submitted under Subpart I to determine the 
structural integrity of all offshore platforms and floating production 
facilities and to ensure that such integrity will be maintained 
throughout the useful life of these structures. We use the information 
to ascertain that the fixed and floating platforms and structures are 
structurally sound and safe for their intended use to ensure safety of 
personnel and pollution prevention. More specifically, we use the 
information to:
     Review data concerning damage to a platform to assess the 
adequacy of proposed repairs.
     Review plans for platform construction (construction is 
divided into three phases--design, fabrication, and installation) to 
ensure the structural integrity of the platform.
     Review verification plans and reports for unique platforms 
to ensure that all nonstandard situations are given proper 
consideration during the design, fabrication, and installation phases 
of platform construction.
     Review platform design, fabrication, and installation 
records to ensure that the platform is constructed according to 
approved plans.
     Review inspection reports to ensure that platform 
integrity is maintained for the life of the platform.
    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 250.197, ``Data and information to be made available to the public 
or for limited inspection.'' No items of a sensitive nature are 
collected. Responses are mandatory.
    Frequency: On occasion, annually.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: There are 
approximately 136 respondents (Federal oil and gas OCS lessees and 
their CVAs or other third-party reviewers of production facilities).
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The 
currently approved annual reporting burden for this collection is 
42,500 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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    Citation 30 CFR 250 subpart I and
              related NTLs                  Reporting or recordkeeping requirement          Hour/fee burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
900(b), (c), (e); 901(b), (c); 902; 903;  Submit application, along with reports/     30 hours.
 905; 906; 909; 910(c), (d); 911(c),       surveys and relevant data, to install new  $19,900 for PVP.
 (f); 912; 913.                            platform or floating production facility   $2,850 for fixed
                                           or conversion of existing platform for      structure.
                                           new purpose or significant changes to      $1,450 for caisson/well
                                           approved applications, including use of     protector.
                                           alternative codes, rules, or standards;    $3,400 for modifications.
                                           and Platform Verification Program (PVP)
                                           plan for design, fabrication and
                                           installation of new, fixed, bottom-
                                           founded, pile-supported, or concrete-
                                           gravity platforms and new floating
                                           platforms. Consult as required with MMS
                                           and/or USCG. Re/Submit application for
                                           major modification(s)/repairs to any
                                           platform and related requirements.
900(b)(5)...............................  Submit application for conversion of the    24 hours.
                                           use of an existing mobile offshore
                                           drilling unit.
900(c)..................................  Notify MMS within 24 hours of damage and    16 hours.
                                           emergency repairs and request approval of
                                           repairs.
901(a)(6), (a)(7), (a)(8); NTLs.........  Submit CVA documentation under API RP 2RD,  100 hours.
                                           API RP 2SK, and API RP 2SM.
901(a)(10); NTLs........................  Submit hazards analysis documentation       600 hours.
                                           under API RP 14J.
903*....................................  Record original and relevant material test  100 hours.
                                           results of all primary structural
                                           materials; retain records during all
                                           stages of construction. Compile, retain,
                                           and provide location/make available to
                                           MMS for the functional life of platform,
                                           the as-built drawings, design assumptions/
                                           analyses, summary of nondestructive
                                           examination records, inspection results,
                                           and records of repair not covered
                                           elsewhere.
911(d); 914.............................  Submit nomination and qualification         16 hours.
                                           statement for CVA.
916(c)..................................  Submit interim and final CVA reports and    200 hours.
                                           recommendations on design phase.
917(a), (c).............................  Submit interim and final CVA reports and    100 hours.
                                           recommendations on fabrication phase,
                                           including notice of fabrication procedure
                                           changes or design specification
                                           modifications.
918(c)..................................  Submit interim and final CVA reports and    60 hours.
                                           recommendations on installation phase.

[[Page 34719]]

 
919(a)..................................  Develop in-service inspection plan and      45 hours.
                                           keep on file.
919(b)..................................  Submit annual (November 1 of each year)     80 hours.
                                           report on inspection of platforms or
                                           floating production facilities, including
                                           summary of testing results.
900 thru 921............................  General departure and alternative           8 hours.
                                           compliance requests not specifically
                                           covered elsewhere in Subpart I
                                           regulations.
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    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: The 
currently approved ``non-hour cost'' burden for this information 
collection is a total of $752,606. This represents four cost burdens 
for filing fees associated with submitting applications for platforms 
and structures. See the table above for specific details.
    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 Procedures: Before including your address, phone 
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including 
your personal identifying information-may be made publicly available at 
any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your 
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Arlene Bajusz (202) 
208-7744.

     Dated: June 18, 2007.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
 [FR Doc. E7-12171 Filed 6-22-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P