[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 210 (Monday, November 2, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56595-56597]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-26319]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

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

SUMMARY: The EIA is soliciting comments on the proposed revisions and 
three year extension to the Petroleum Supply Forms. In particular, 
changes are proposed for forms EIA-810, ``Monthly Refinery Report;'' 
EIA-812, ``Monthly Product Pipeline Report;'' EIA-813, ``Monthly Crude 
Oil Report;'' EIA-815, ``Monthly Bulk Terminal and Blender Report;'' 
Form EIA-816, ``Monthly Natural Gas Liquids Report;'' and Form EIA-819, 
``Monthly Oxygenate Report.''

DATES: Comments must be filed by January 4, 2010. If you anticipate 
difficulty in submitting comments within that period, contact the 
person listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Sylvia Norris and Jacob Bournazian. To 
ensure receipt of the comments by the due date, submission by FAX (202-
586-1076) or e-mail ([email protected] and 
[email protected]) is recommended. The mailing address is 
Petroleum Division, EI-42, Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of 
Energy, Washington, DC 20585. Alternatively, Sylvia Norris may be 
contacted by telephone at 202-586-6106; Jacob Bournazian may be 
contacted by telephone at 202-586-5562.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of any forms and instructions should be directed to Sylvia 
Norris at the address listed above. The proposed forms and changes in 
definitions and instructions are also available on the Internet at: 
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/petroleum/survey_forms/pet_survey_forms.html

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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

I. Background

    The Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974, specifically 15 
U.S.C. 790a, and the DOE Organization Act, specifically 42 U.S.C. 7135, 
require 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 
demands and to promote sound policymaking, efficient markets, and 
public understanding of petroleum supply and delivery systems.
    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 
general public and other Federal agencies with opportunities to comment 
on collections of energy information conducted by or in conjunction 
with EIA. Any comments received help EIA prepare data requests that 
maximize the utility of the information collected, and assess the 
impact of collection requirements on the public. Also, EIA will later 
seek approval for this collection by the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB)

[[Page 56596]]

under Section 3507(a) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
    The monthly petroleum supply surveys are designed to provide 
statistically reliable and comprehensive information not available from 
other sources to EIA, other Federal agencies, and the private sector 
for use in forecasting, policy making, planning, and analysis 
activities. The information appears in the publications listed below 
and is also available electronically through the Internet at: http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/petroleum/info_glance/petroleum.html
    Publications: Internet-only publications are the Petroleum Supply 
Monthly, Petroleum Supply Annual, and Short-Term Energy Outlook. 
Hardcopy and Internet publications are the Monthly Energy Review (DOE/
EIA-0035), the Annual Energy Review (DOE/EIA-0384), and the Annual 
Energy Outlook (DOE/EIA-0383).

II. Current Actions

    In order to improve market transparency and more effectively 
analyze petroleum markets, EIA proposes to collect working and shell 
storage capacity for crude oil and petroleum products semi-annually in 
March and September. Inventories are an important source of supply in 
meeting regional and local demand. Industry treats inventories 
strategically as an economic means of helping to meet their market 
requirements and opportunities. Furthermore, as regulatory requirements 
change, there is a need to monitor whether or not capacity to store 
both crude oil and products is being either temporarily or permanently 
idled. Data regarding capacity to hold inventories is therefore of 
great interest. This information is also needed to inform responses to 
energy emergencies.
    Storage capacity reported on EIA surveys will include aboveground 
and underground storage for only those facilities and tanks for which 
inventory levels are currently reported on the surveys. Therefore, 
bonded storage capacity and storage capacity in secondary and tertiary 
sectors will be excluded because stocks held in these storage sectors 
are out of scope for existing petroleum supply surveys. The information 
requested will be added to the existing survey forms. The first 
collection period will be for March 2010, due April 20, 2010.
    The ``Monthly Refinery Report,'' form, EIA-810--Collect working and 
shell storage capacity (in operation, idle, and total) by refinery site 
for the following products: Crude oil, fuel ethanol, natural gas plant 
liquids and liquefied refinery gases (including mixes and pentanes 
plus), storage dedicated to propane and propylene, motor gasoline 
(including gasoline blending components), distillate fuel oil, kerosene 
and kerosene-type jet fuel, residual fuel oil, asphalt and road oil, 
other products, and total product storage capacity.
    The ``Monthly Product Pipeline Report,'' form EIA-812--Collect 
working and shell storage capacity (in operation, idle, and total) by 
Petroleum Administration for Defense Districts (PADD) for the following 
products: Fuel ethanol, natural gas plant liquids and liquefied 
refinery gases (including mixes and pentanes plus), storage dedicated 
to propane and propylene, motor gasoline (including gasoline blending 
components), distillate fuel oil, kerosene and kerosene-type jet fuel, 
residual fuel oil, asphalt and road oil, other products, and total 
product storage capacity. In addition, information is being requested 
on whether pipeline and storage tank access is used exclusively by the 
reporting company or whether tanks may be used by other companies.
    The ``Monthly Crude Oil Report,'' form EIA-813--Collect crude oil 
working and shell storage capacity (in operation, idle, and total) by 
PADD. Working and shell storage capacity is also being requested for 
the Cushing, Oklahoma area. Storage capacity will only be collected for 
tank farms facilities. Storage in pipelines and on leases will be 
excluded. Information is also being requested on whether tank storage 
is used exclusively by the reporting company or whether tanks may be 
used by other companies.
    The ``Monthly Terminal Blenders Report,'' EIA-815--Collect working 
and shell storage capacity (in operation, idle, and total) by terminal 
site for the following products: Fuel ethanol, natural gas plant 
liquids and liquefied refinery gases (including mixes and pentanes 
plus), storage dedicated to propane and propylene, motor gasoline 
(including blending components), kerosene, kerosene-type jet fuel, 
distillate fuel oil, residual fuel oil, asphalt and road oil, other 
products, and total product storage capacity. Information is also being 
requested on whether tank storage is used exclusively by the reporting 
company or whether tanks may be used by other companies and whether any 
tanks at the terminal are used for transshipment of products by 
pipeline or other modes of transportation.
    The ``Monthly Natural Gas Liquids Report,'' form EIA-816--Collect 
working and shell storage capacity (in operation, idle, and total) by 
gas processing or fractionation plant site for natural gas plant 
liquids (including mixes of liquefied petroleum gases and pentanes 
plus). In addition, storage dedicated to propane is being requested.
    The ``Monthly Oxygenate Report,'' form EIA-819--Collect working and 
shell storage capacity (in operation, idle, total) by producer site for 
fuel ethanol.

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. Please indicate to 
which form(s) your comments apply.

As a Potential Respondent to the Request for Information

    A. Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency and does the 
information have practical utility?
    B. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the 
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information to be 
collected?
    C. Are the instructions and definitions clear and sufficient? If 
not, which instructions need clarification?
    D. Can the information be submitted by the respondent by the due 
date?
    E. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to 
average:
    Estimated hours per response are: EIA-800, ``Weekly Refinery and 
Fractionator Report,''--1.58 hours; EIA-801, ``Weekly Bulk Terminal 
Report,''--0.95 hours; EIA-802, ``Weekly Product Pipeline Report,''--
0.95 hours; EIA-803, ``Weekly Crude Oil Stocks Report,''--0.50 hours; 
EIA-804, ``Weekly Imports Report,''--1.75 hours; EIA-805, ``Weekly 
Terminal Blenders Report,''--1.50 hours; EIA-809, ``Weekly Oxygenate 
Report,''--1.00 hours; EIA-810, ``Monthly Refinery Report,''--5.30 
hours; EIA-812, ``Monthly Product Pipeline Report,''--3.30 hours; EIA-
813, ``Monthly Crude Oil Report,''--2.00 hours; EIA-814, ``Monthly 
Imports Report,''--2.55 hours; EIA-815, ``Monthly Terminal Blenders 
Report,''--4.30 hours; EIA-816, ``Monthly Natural Gas Liquids 
Report,''--1.30 hours; EIA-817, ``Monthly Tanker and Barge Movement 
Report,''--2.25 hours; EIA-819, ``Monthly Oxygenate Report,''--2.00 
hours; EIA-820, ``Annual Refinery Report''--2.40 hours. The estimated 
burden includes the total time necessary to provide the requested 
information. In your opinion, how accurate is this estimate?

[[Page 56597]]

    F. The agency estimates that the only cost to a respondent is for 
the time it will 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?
    G. 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.
    H. Does any other Federal, State, or local agency collect similar 
information? If so, specify the agency, the data element(s), and the 
methods of collection.

As a Potential User of the Information To Be Collected

    A. Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency and does the 
information have practical utility?
    B. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the 
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information 
disseminated?
    C. Is the information useful at the levels of detail to be 
collected?
    D. March and September reporting periods are being requested to 
capture indicators of storage capacity in advance of both the summer 
driving season and the winter heating season. Are the time periods 
requested adequate to capture key seasonal information?
    E. For what purpose(s) would the information be used? Be specific.
    F. Are there alternate sources for the information and are they 
useful? If so, what are their weaknesses and/or strengths?
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the forms. They also 
will become a matter of public record.

    Statutory Authority:  Section 13(b) of the Federal Energy 
Administration Act of 1974, Public Law 93-275, codified at 15 U.S.C. 
772(b).

    Issued in Washington, DC, October 26, 2009.
Stephanie Brown,
Director, Statistics and Methods Group, Energy Information 
Administration.
[FR Doc. E9-26319 Filed 10-30-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P