[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 60 (Tuesday, March 30, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15718-15720]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-6989]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

[Docket No. MMS-2010-OMM-0012]


MMS Information Collection Activity: 1010-0086, Sulphur 
Operations, Extension of a Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of extension of an information collection (1010-0086).

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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 P, ``Sulphur 
Operations.''

DATES: Submit written comments by June 1, 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-2010-OMM-
0012, then click search. Follow the instructions to submit public 
comments and view supporting and related materials available for this 
collection. 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 
ICR 1010-0086 in your comment and include your name and return address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: 30 CFR 250, Subpart P, Sulphur Operations.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0086.
    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.
    Section 5(a) of the OCS Lands Act requires the Secretary to 
prescribe rules and regulations ``to provide for the prevention of 
waste, and conservation of the natural resources of the Outer 
Continental Shelf, and the protection of correlative rights therein'' 
and to include provisions ``for the prompt and efficient exploration 
and development of a lease area.'' 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 250, Subpart P, Sulphur Operations, and the associated 
supplementary Notices to Lessees and Operators (NTLs) intended to 
provide clarification, description, or explanation of these 
regulations.
    Regulations at 30 CFR 250, Subpart P, implement these statutory 
requirements. The MMS uses the information collected to ascertain the 
condition of drilling sites for the purpose of preventing hazards 
inherent in drilling and production operations and to evaluate the 
adequacy of equipment and/or procedures to be used during the conduct 
of drilling, well-completion, well-workover, and production operations. 
The MMS uses the information to:
     Ascertain that a discovered sulphur deposit can be 
classified as capable of production in paying quantities.
     Ensure accurate and complete measurement of production to 
determine the amount of sulphur royalty payments due the United States; 
and that the sale locations are secure, production has been measured 
accurately, and appropriate follow-up actions are initiated.
     Review expected oceanographic and meteorological 
conditions to ensure the integrity of the drilling unit (this 
information is submitted only if it is not otherwise available).
     Review hazard survey data to ensure that the lessee will 
not encounter geological conditions that present a hazard to 
operations.
     Ensure the adequacy and safety of firefighting plans; the 
drilling unit is fit for the intended purpose; and the adequacy of 
casing for anticipated conditions.
     Review log entries of crew meetings to verify that crew 
members are properly trained.
     Review drilling, well-completion, well-workover diagrams 
and procedures, as well as production operation procedures to ensure 
the safety of the proposed drilling, well-completion, well-workover and 
proposed production operations.
     Monitor environmental data during operations in offshore 
areas where such data are not already available to provide a valuable 
source of information to evaluate the performance of drilling rigs 
under various weather and ocean conditions. This information is 
necessary to make reasonable determinations regarding safety of 
operations and environmental protection.
    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.'' No items of a sensitive nature are collected. Responses are 
mandatory.
    Frequency: Varies by section, but information concerning drilling, 
well-completion, and well-workover operations and production is 
collected only once for each particular activity.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 1 
Federal OCS sulphur lessee.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The 
currently approved annual reporting burden for this collection is 903 
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

[[Page 15719]]

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            Reporting and recordkeeping requirement              Hour burden
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                                            Submittals/Notifications
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1600; 1617........................  Submit exploration or development and          Burden covered
                                     production plan.                              under (1010-0151).
1617; 1618; 1619(b); 1622.........  Submit forms MMS-123 (Application for Permit   Burden covered
                                     to Drill), MMS-124 (Application for Permit    under (1010-0141).
                                     to Modify), Form MMS-125 (End of Operations
                                     Report).
1605(b)(3)........................  Submit and/or resubmit data and information    4
                                     on fitness of drilling unit.
1605(d)...........................  Submit results of additional surveys and soil  1
                                     borings upon request.*.
1605(f)...........................  Submit application for installation of fixed   Burden covered
                                     drilling platforms or structures.             under (1010-0149).
1608..............................  Submit well casing and cementing plan or       5
                                     modification.
1619(c), (d), (e).................  Submit copies of records, logs, reports,       1
                                     charts, etc., upon request.
1628(b), (d)......................  Submit application for design and              4
                                     installation features of sulphur production
                                     facilities and fuel gas safety system;
                                     certify new installation conforms to
                                     approved design.
1630(a)(6)........................  Notify MMS of pre-production test and          30 minutes.
                                     inspection of safety system and commencement
                                     of production.
1633(b)...........................  Submit application for method of production    2
                                     measurement.
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                                                    Requests
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1603(a)...........................  Request determination whether sulphur deposit  1
                                     can produce in paying quantities.
1605(e)(5)........................  Request copy of directional survey (by holder  1
                                     of adjoining lease).*.
1607..............................  Request establishment, amendment, or           8
                                     cancellation of field rules for drilling,
                                     well-completion, or well-workover.
1610(d)(7+8)......................  Request exception to ram-type blowout          1
                                     preventer (BOP) system components rated
                                     working pressure.
1611(b); 1625(b)..................  Request exception to water-rated working       1
                                     pressure to test ram-type and annular BOPs
                                     and choke manifold.
1611(f); 1625(f)..................  Request exception to recording pressure        1
                                     conditions during BOP tests on pressure
                                     charts.*.
1612..............................  Request exception to Sec.  Sec.   250.408/     1
                                     250.462 requirements for well-control
                                     drills.*.
1615..............................  Request exception to blind-shear ram or pipe   1
                                     rams and inside BOP to secure wells.
1629(b)(3)........................  Request approval of firefighting systems;      4
                                     post firefighting system diagram.
1600 thru 1634....................  General departure and/or alternative           2
                                     compliance requests not specifically covered
                                     elsewhere in subpart P.
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                                                  Record/Retain
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1604(f)...........................  Check traveling-block safety device for        15 minutes.
                                     proper operation weekly and after each drill-
                                     line slipping; enter results in log.
1605(c)...........................  Report oceanographic, meteorological, and      1
                                     drilling unit performance data upon
                                     request.*.
1609(a)...........................  Pressure test casing; record time, conditions  2
                                     of testing, and test results in log.
1611(d)(3); 1625(d)(3)............  Record in driller's report the date, time,     10 minutes.
                                     and reason for postponing pressure testing.
1611(f), (g); 1625(f), (g)........  Conduct tests, actuations, inspections,        6
                                     maintenance, and crew drills of BOP systems
                                     at least weekly; record results in driller's
                                     report; retain records for 2 years following
                                     completion of drilling activity.
1613(d)...........................  Pressure test diverter sealing element/valves  2
                                     weekly; actuate diverter sealing element/
                                     valves/control system every 24 hours; test
                                     diverter line for flow every 24 hours;
                                     record test times and results in driller's
                                     report.
1616(c)...........................  Retain training records for lessee and         Burden covered
                                     drilling contractor personnel.                under (1010-0128).
1619(a); 1623(c)..................  Retain records for each well and all well      12
                                     operations for 2 years; calculate well-
                                     control fluid volume and post near
                                     operators' station.
1621..............................  Conduct safety meetings prior to well-         1
                                     completion or well-workover operations;
                                     record date and time.
1628(b), (d)......................  Maintain information on approved design and    1
                                     installation features for the life of the
                                     facility.
1629(b)(1)(ii)....................  Retain pressure-recording charts used to       12
                                     determine operating pressure ranges for 2
                                     years.
1630(b)...........................  Maintain records for each safety device        1
                                     installed for 2 years; make available for
                                     review.
1631..............................  Conduct safety device training prior to        1
                                     production operations and periodically
                                     thereafter; record date and time.
1634(b)...........................  Report evidence of mishandling of produced     1
                                     sulphur or tampering or falsifying any
                                     measurement of production.
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                                                  Total Burden
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* We included a minimal burden, but it has not been necessary to request these data and/or no submissions
  received for many years.


[[Page 15720]]

    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: We 
have identified no ``non-hour cost'' burdens for this collection.
    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, 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: March 24, 2010.

Sharon Buffington,
Acting Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. 2010-6989 Filed 3-29-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P