[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 190 (Tuesday, October 2, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56084-56086]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-19375]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we 
are notifying the public that we are submitting 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. This notice also provides the public a 
second opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of these 
regulatory requirements.

DATES: Submit written comments by November 1, 2007.

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 (1010-0067). Mail or hand carry a copy of your comments 
to the Department of the Interior; Minerals Management Service; 
Attention: Cheryl Blundon; Mail Stop 4024; 381 Elden Street; Herndon, 
Virginia 20170-4817. If you wish to e-mail 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, Regulations and 
Standards Branch, (703) 787-1607. 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 Part 250, Subpart E, Oil and Gas Well-Completion 
Operations.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0067.
    Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act, 43 U.S.C. 
1331 et seq. and 43 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., requires the Secretary of the 
Interior to preserve, protect, and develop oil and gas resources in the 
OCS 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; 
balance orderly energy resources development with protection of the 
human, marine, and coastal environment; ensure the public a fair and 
equitable return on OCS resources; 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 the 
Minerals Management Service (MMS). To carry out these responsibilities, 
MMS issues regulations governing oil and gas and sulphur operations in 
the OCS. This information collection request (ICR) addresses 30 CFR 
Part 250, Subpart E, Oil and Gas Well-Completion Operations and the 
associated supplementary Notices to Lessees and Operators (NTL) 
intended to provide clarification, description, or explanation of these 
regulations.
    The MMS District Managers analyze and evaluate the information and 
data collected under Subpart E to ensure that planned well-completion 
operations will protect personnel 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.
    Previously, the Gulf of Mexico Region (GOMR) met with the Offshore 
Operators Committee (OOC) several times to discuss conditions that 
required a variance from the requirements of Sec.  250.517. The OOC 
recommended that sustained casing pressure (SCP) be divided into two 
broad categories: Production casing SCP that can be eliminated 
relatively easily and SCP on outer casings where no consistently 
successful solution has been developed. They also recommended criteria 
for classifying SCP. Since the initial meeting, MMS continues to work 
with OOC and API regularly to formulate new practices. As a result of 
these meetings, MMS issued an NTL to clarify and update the current 
GOMR procedures and requirements necessary to monitor and report SCP 
conditions. This NTL also gives guidance on the process for obtaining a 
departure to produce wells with SCP. MMS district and regional offices 
will use the information to determine whether production from wells 
with SCP continues to afford the greatest

[[Page 56085]]

possible degree of safety under these conditions.
    Responses are mandatory. No questions of a ``sensitive'' nature are 
asked. The MMS protects information considered proprietary according to 
30 CFR 250.197, ``Data and information to be made available to the 
public or for limited inspection'' 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 
respondents consist of Federal OCS lessees and operators.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The 
estimated annual ``hour'' burden for this information collection is a 
total of 18,756 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.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Citation 30 CFR 250 subpart E &                                                Average number of   Annual burden
            LTL/NTL               Reporting requirement       Hour burden      annual responses        hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    Requests
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
502............................  Request approval not to  1 hour............  106 requests......             106
                                  shut-in well during
                                  equipment movement.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
512............................  Request field well-      1 hour............  2 requests........               2
                                  completion rules be
                                  established, amended
                                  or canceled (on
                                  occasion, however,
                                  there have been no
                                  requests in many
                                  years).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
500-517........................  General departure and    2 hours...........  500 requests......           1,000
                                  alternative compliance
                                  requests not
                                  specifically covered
                                  elsewhere in Subpart E
                                  regulations.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Subtotal...................  .......................  ..................  608 responses.....           1,108
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   Submittals
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
505; 513; 515(a); NTL..........  Submit forms MMS-123,         Burden included in 1010-0141                    0
                                  MMS-124, MMS-125 for
                                  various approvals,
                                  including remediation
                                  procedure for SCP.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
514(c); 515(a).................  Calculate well control   1 hour............  338 procedures....             338
                                  fluid volume and post
                                  near operator's
                                  station; submit well-
                                  control procedure.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
517(b).........................  Pressure test, caliper,  9 hours...........  399 reports.......           3,591
                                  or otherwise evaluate
                                  tubing & wellhead
                                  equipment casing;
                                  submit results (every
                                  30 days during
                                  prolonged operations).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Subtotal...................  .......................  ..................  737 responses.....           3,929
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             Document/Record/Retain
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
506............................  Instruct crew members    20 minutes........  838 completions x        \1\ 1,117
                                  in safety requirements                       4 = 3,352.
                                  of operations to be
                                  performed; document
                                  meeting (weekly for 2
                                  crews x 2 weeks per
                                  completion = 4).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
511............................  Perform operational      \1/2\ hour........  938 completions x              938
                                  check of traveling-                          2 = 1,876.
                                  block safety device;
                                  document results
                                  (weekly x 2 weeks per
                                  completion = 2).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LTL*...........................  Record diagnostic test   \1/2\ hour........  3,020 tests/                 1,510
                                  results.                                     recordings.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
516 tests; 516(i),(j)..........  Record BOP test          \1/2\ hour........  1,048 completions.             524
                                  results; retain
                                  records 2 years
                                  following completion
                                  of well (when
                                  installed; minimum
                                  every 7 days; as
                                  stated for component);
                                  request alternative
                                  methods.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
516(d)(5) test; 516(i).........  Function test annulars   \1/2\ hour........  1,048 completions.             524
                                  and rams; document
                                  results (every 7 days
                                  between BOP tests--
                                  biweekly; note: part
                                  of BOP test when
                                  conducted).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
516(e).........................  Record reason for        10 minutes........  58 postponed tests          \1\ 10
                                  postponing BOP system
                                  tests (on occasion).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 56086]]

 
516(f).........................  Perform crew drills;     \1/2\ hour........  1,048 completions            2,096
                                  record results (weekly                       x 4 = 4,192.
                                  for 2 crews x 2 weeks
                                  per completion = 4).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LTL............................  Retain complete record   1 hour............  2,990 records.....           2,990
                                  of well's casing
                                  pressure for 2 years
                                  and retain diagnostic
                                  test records
                                  permanently.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Subtotal...................  .......................  ..................  17,584 responses..           9,709
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Notify
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
502............................  Notify MMS of well-           Burden included in 1010-0150.                   0
                                  completion rig
                                  movement on or off
                                  platform or from well
                                  to well on same
                                  platform (Form MMS-
                                  144) (cross ref. Sec.
                                   250.403).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
517(c); LTL/NTL................  Notify MMS if sustained  1 hour............  900 notices.......             900
                                  casing pressure is
                                  observed on a well.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LTL/NTL........................  Report failure of        6 hours...........  500 submissions...           3,000
                                  casing pressure to
                                  bleed to zero
                                  including plan to
                                  remediate.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NTL............................  Notify MMS when          1 hour............  110 notices.......             110
                                  remediation procedure
                                  is complete.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Subtotal...................  .......................  ..................  1,510 responses...           4,010
================================================================================================================
        Total Hour Burden......  .......................  ..................  20,439 responses..         18,756
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* LTL dated 13 January 1994.
\1\ (rounded)

    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 January 29, 
2007, we published a Federal Register notice (72 FR 4025) 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. 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 November 1, 2007.
    Public Availability of Comments: Before including your address, 
phone number, e-mail 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: May 11, 2007.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.

    Editorial Note: This document was received at the Office of the 
Federal Register on September 26, 2007.
[FR Doc. E7-19375 Filed 10-1-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P