[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 234 (Tuesday, December 7, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75995-75996]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-30632]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Request for Comments on Helium-3 Use in the Oil and Natural Gas 
Well Logging Industry

AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Request for Comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Oil and Natural Gas 
is seeking public comments on the volumes and uses of Helium-3 by the 
oil and gas well logging industry.

DATES: Written comments and information are requested on or before 5 
p.m. Eastern time on February 1, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons may submit information by any of the 
following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
    E-mail: [email protected]. Include ``Helium-3 Request for 
Comments'' in the subject line of the message.
    Postal Mail: Edith Allison, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of 
Fossil Energy, Office of Oil and Natural Gas, Room 3E-028, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. Please submit one 
signed paper original.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Edith Allison, U.S. Department of 
Energy, Office of Oil and Natural Gas, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOE Office of Oil and Natural Gas is 
responsible for allotting 1,000 liters of Helium-3 for use by the well 
logging industry in Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 and for projecting the FY 
2012 Helium-3 needs so that an industry allotment can be set aside for 
FY 2012. The Office of Oil and Natural Gas seeks information to improve 
its understanding of the need for Helium-3 and the diversity of the 
user community so that it can tailor its allocation process to best 
support the efficient domestic production of oil and natural gas.
    Background:
    Helium-3 is a non-radioactive isotope of Helium that is a byproduct 
of the decay of Tritium. Its main use is for neutron detection devices 
used in scientific research, national security and oil and gas well 
logging. The US helium-3 stockpile, which is held by the DOE, is not 
adequate to meet the current demand. Therefore, DOE is considering an 
allotment process.
    Allotment Process Considerations:
    In developing its allotment process, DOE seeks information on the 
uses of Helium-3 by members of the oil and gas well logging industry. 
DOE seeks information, for example, on whether companies manufacture 
neutron detectors used by the well logging industry or wireline or 
Logging-While-Drilling tools incorporating neutron detectors, and 
whether companies purchase or lease logging tools that contain neutron 
detectors.
    DOE also seeks information on the volumes of Helium-3 anticipated 
by the oil and gas well logging industry during the 2-year allotment 
under consideration by DOE. DOE seeks information on estimates of oil 
and gas required by companies for fiscal years 2011 (October 1, 2010 
through September 30, 2011) and 2012 (October 1, 2011 through September 
30, 2012).
    DOE also seeks information on the recycling and reclamation of 
Helium-3 gas. DOE understands that Helium-3 gas can be recycled or 
reclaimed from many inoperable neutron detectors. DOE seeks information 
on whether companies plan to reclaim Helium-3 from malfunctioning 
devices and if so, how much Helim-3 companies anticipate reclaiming.
    In allotting Helium-3, DOE would expect to give preference to 
devices for use in the United States. Therefore, DOE seeks information 
on how much companies' expected Helium-3 will be for devices used 
outside the United States.
    Further Information on Submitting Information:
    According to 10 CFR 1004.11, any person submitting information that 
he or she believes to be confidential and exempt by law from public 
disclosure should submit two copies: One copy of the document including 
all the information believed to be confidential and one copy of the 
document with the information believed to be confidential

[[Page 75996]]

deleted. DOE will make its own determination as to the confidential 
status of the information and treat it according to its determination.
    Factors of interest to DOE when evaluating requests to treat 
submitted information as confidential include (1) A description of the 
items; (2) whether and why such items are customarily treated as 
confidential within the industry; (3) whether the information is 
generally known by or available from other sources; (4) whether the 
information has previously been made available to others without 
obligation concerning its confidentiality; (5) an explanation of the 
competitive injury to the submitting person which would result from 
public disclosure; (6) a date upon which such information might lose 
its confidential nature due to the passage of time; and (7) why 
disclosure of the information would be contrary to the public interest.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on November 30, 2010.
Christopher A. Smith,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oil and Natural Gas.
[FR Doc. 2010-30632 Filed 12-6-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P