[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 211 (Tuesday, November 3, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56858-56860]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-26366]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

[Docket No. MMS-2009-OMM-0015]


MMS Information Collection Activity: 1010-0051, Oil and Gas 
Production Measurement, Extension of a Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of extension of an information collection (1010-0051).

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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 L, Oil and 
Gas Production Measurement.

DATES: Submit written comments by January 4, 2010.

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.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods 
listed below.
     Electronically: go to http://www.regulations.gov. In the 
entry titled ``Enter Keyword or ID,'' enter docket ID MMS-2009-OMM-0015 
then click search. Under the tab ``View by Relevance'' you can submit 
public comments and view supporting and related materials available for 
this collection of information. The MMS will post all comments.
     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 1010-0051 in your subject line and mark your 
message for return receipt. Include your name and return address in 
your message text.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: 30 CFR Part 250, Subpart L, Oil and Gas Production 
Measurement.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0051.
    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 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. The Federal Oil 
and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982 (30 U.S.C. 1701, et seq.) at 
section 1712(b)(2) prescribes that an operator will ``develop and 
comply with such minimum site security measures as the Secretary deems 
appropriate, to protect oil or gas produced or stored on a lease site 
or on the Outer Continental Shelf from theft.'' Regulations at 30 CFR 
part 250, subpart L, implement these statutory requirements. We use the 
information to ensure that the volumes of hydrocarbons produced are 
measured accurately, and royalties are paid on the proper volumes. 
Specifically, MMS needs the information to:
     Determine if measurement equipment is properly installed, 
provides accurate measurement of production on which royalty is due, 
and is operating properly;
     Obtain rates of production data in allocating the volumes 
of production measured at royalty sales meters, which can be examined 
during field inspections;
     Ascertain if all removals of oil and condensate from the 
lease are reported;
     Determine the amount of oil that was shipped when 
measurements are taken by gauging the tanks rather than being measured 
by a meter;
     Ensure that the sales location is secure and production 
cannot be removed without the volumes being recorded; and
     Review proving reports to verify that data on run tickets 
are calculated and reported accurately.
    The MMS 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 and 30 CFR part 252, OCS Oil and Gas Information 
Program. No items of a sensitive nature are collected. Responses are 
mandatory.
    Frequency: Varies by section, but primarily monthly, or on 
occasion.

[[Page 56859]]

    Description of Respondents: Respondents comprise Federal oil, gas 
and sulphur lessees and/or operators.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: The currently 
approved annual reporting burden for this collection is 8,533 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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                                                                                     Hour burden  non-hour cost
   Citation 30 CFR 250 Subpart L        Reporting or recordkeeping requirement                 burden
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                                         Liquid Hydrocarbon Measurement
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1202(a)(1), (b)(1); 1203(b)(1);     Submit application for liquid hydrocarbon or   11 applications.
 1204(a)(1).                         gas measurement procedures or changes; or     $1,271 simple fee.
                                     for commingling of production or changes.     $3,760 complex fee.
1202(a)(4)........................  Copy and send pipeline (retrograde)            45 minutes.
                                     condensate volumes upon request.
1202(c)(1), (2); 1202(e)(4);        Record observed data, correction factors and   Respondents record these
 1202(h)(1), (2), (3), (4);          net standard volume on royalty meter and       items as part of normal
 1202(i)(1)(iv), (2)(iii); 1202(j).  tank run tickets.                              business records and
                                    Record master meter calibration runs.........   practices to verify accuracy
                                    Record mechanical-displacement prover, master   of production measured for
                                     meter, or tank prover proof runs.              sale purposes.
                                    Record liquid hydrocarbon royalty meter
                                     malfunction and repair or adjustment on
                                     proving report; record unregistered
                                     production on run ticket.
                                    List Cpl and Ctl factors on run tickets......
1202(c)(4)*.......................  Copy and send all liquid hydrocarbon run       1 minute.
                                     tickets monthly.
1202(d)(4); 1204(b)(1)............  Request approval for proving on a schedule     1 hr for each.
                                     other than monthly; request approval for
                                     well testing on a schedule other than every
                                     60 days.
1202(d)(5)*.......................  Copy and submit liquid hydrocarbon royalty     2 minutes.
                                     meter proving reports monthly and request
                                     waiver as needed.
1202(f)(2)*.......................  Copy and submit mechanical-displacement        10 minutes.
                                     prover and tank prover calibration reports.
1202(l)(2)*.......................  Copy and submit royalty tank calibration       15 minutes.
                                     charts before using for royalty measurement.
1202(l)(3)*.......................  Copy and submit inventory tank calibration     15 minutes.
                                     charts upon request; retain charts for as     5 minutes.
                                     long as tanks are in use.
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                                                 Gas Measurement
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1203(b)(6), (8), (9)*.............  Copy and submit gas quality and volume         2 minutes.
                                     statements monthly or as requested (most      30 minutes.
                                     will be routine; few will take longer).
1203(c)(4)*.......................  Copy and submit gas meter calibration reports  5 minutes.
                                     upon request; retain for 2 years.             1 minute.
1203(e)(1)*.......................  Copy and submit gas processing plant records   30 minutes.
                                     upon request.
1203(f)(5)........................  Copy and submit measuring records of gas lost  30 minutes.
                                     or used on lease upon request.
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                                               Surface Commingling
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1204(a)(2)........................  Provide state production volumetric and/or     1.
                                     fractional analysis data upon request.
1205(a)(2)........................  Post signs at royalty or inventory tank used   1.
                                     in royalty determination process.
1205(a)(4)........................  Report security problems (telephone).........  15 minutes.
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                                         Miscellaneous and Recordkeeping
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1200 thru 1205....................  General departure and alternative compliance   1.
                                     requests not specifically covered elsewhere
                                     in subpart L.
1202(e)(6)........................  Retain master meter calibration reports for 2  1 minute.
                                     years.
1202(k)(5)........................  Retain liquid hydrocarbon allocation meter     1 minute.
                                     proving reports for 2 years.
1203(f)...........................  Document and retain measurement records on     1 minute.
                                     gas lost or used on lease for 2 years at
                                     field location and minimum 7 years at
                                     location of respondent's choice.
1204(b)(3)........................  Retain well test data for 2 years............  2 minutes.
1205(b)(3), (4)...................  Retain seal number lists for 2 years.........  2 minutes.
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* Respondents gather this information as part of their normal business practices. MMS only requires copies of
  readily available documents. There is no burden for testing, meter reading, etc.

    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden: The 
currently approved non-hour cost burden for this information collection 
is a total of $1,154,700. This cost burden is for filing fees 
associated with submitting requests for approval of simple applications 
(applications to temporarily reroute production (for a duration not to 
exceed 6 months); production tests prior to pipeline construction; 
departures related to

[[Page 56860]]

meter proving, well testing, or sampling frequency ($1,271 per 
application) or to submit requests for approval of complex applications 
(creation of new facility measurement points (FMPs); association of 
leases or units with existing FMPs; inclusion of production from 
additional structures; meter updates which add buyback gas meters or 
pigging meters; other applications which request deviations from the 
approved allocation procedures ($3,760 per application).
    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 paperwork 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, 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: October 27, 2009.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. E9-26366 Filed 11-2-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P