[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 172 (Tuesday, September 6, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55088-55090]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-22651]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement

[Docket ID No. BOEM-2011-0020]


Information Collection Activity: Unitization, Extension of a 
Collection; Submitted for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Review; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement 
(BOEMRE), Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we 
are notifying the public that we have submitted to OMB an information 
collection request (ICR) to renew approval of the paperwork 
requirements in the regulations under Unitization (OMB Control No. 
1010-0068). This notice also provides the public a second opportunity 
to comment on the paperwork burden of these regulatory requirements.

DATES: Submit written comments by October 6, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments by either fax (202) 395-5806 or e-mail 
([email protected]) directly to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for the Department of 
the Interior (1010-0068). Please also submit a copy of your comments to 
BOEMRE by any of the means below.
     Electronically: go to http://www.regulations.gov. In the 
entry titled, Enter Keyword or ID, enter BOEM-2011-0020 then click 
search. Follow the instructions to submit public comments and view 
supporting and related materials available for this collection. BOEMRE 
will post all comments.
     E-mail [email protected]. Mail or hand-carry 
comments to: Department of the Interior; Bureau of Ocean Energy 
Management, Regulation and Enforcement; Attention: Cheryl Blundon; 381 
Elden Street, MS-4024; Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817. Please reference 
ICR 1010-0068 in your comment and include your name and return address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Blundon, Regulations and 
Standards Branch, (703) 787-1607. To see a copy of the entire ICR 
submitted to OMB, go to http://www.reginfo.gov (select Information 
Collection Review, Currently Under Review). You may also contact Cheryl 
Blundon to obtain a copy, at no cost, of the regulation that requires 
the subject collection of information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: 30 CFR 250, Subpart M, Unitization.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0068.
    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. Section 1334(a) specifies 
that the Secretary ``provide for the prevention of waste and 
conservation of the natural resources of the [O]uter Continental Shelf, 
and the protection of correlative rights therein'' and include 
provisions for ``unitization, pooling, and drilling agreements.''
    The Independent Offices Appropriations Act (31 U.S.C. 9701), the 
Omnibus Appropriations Bill (Pub. L. 104-133, 110 Stat. 1321, April 26, 
1996), and OMB Circular A-25, authorize Federal agencies to recover the 
full cost of services that confer special benefits. Unitization 
requests for approval are subject to cost recovery, and BOEMRE 
regulations specify service fees for these requests.
    Regulations implementing these responsibilities are under 30 CFR 
250, subpart M. Responses are required to obtain or retain a benefit 
and mandatory. No questions of a sensitive nature are asked. BOEMRE 
protects information considered proprietary according to the Freedom of 
Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and its implementing regulations (43 CFR 
2), and 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.''
    BOEMRE must approve any lessee's proposal to enter an agreement to 
unitize operations under two or more leases and for modifications when 
warranted. Lessees submit consolidated Exploration Plans and 
Development and Production Plans for a unit area. We use the 
information to ensure that operations under the proposed unit agreement 
will result in preventing waste, conserving natural resources, and 
protecting correlative rights including the government's interests.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Description of Respondents: Potential respondents comprise Federal 
oil, gas, or sulphur lessees and/or holders of pipeline-rights-of-way.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: The estimated 
annual hour burden for this information collection is a total of 3,348 
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.

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                                                                                Average number     Annual burden
  Citation 30 CFR 250 subpart M      Reporting requirement     Hour burden     annual responses        hours
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                                                       Non-hour cost burdens*
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[[Page 55089]]

 
Requests
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    1301.........................  Description of              Burden included in the following                0
                                    requirements.                         sections.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    1301(d), (f)(3), (g)(1),       Request suspension of         Burden covered in 1010-0114.                  0
     (g)(2) (ii).                   production or
                                    operations.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    1302(b)......................  Request preliminary                   80  1 request..........              80
                                    determination on
                                    competitive reservoir.
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    1304(b)......................  Request compulsory                   205  1 request..........             205
                                    unitization, including
                                    submitting unit
                                    agreement, unit
                                    operating agreement,
                                    initial plan of
                                    operation, obtain
                                    approval of Regional
                                    Supervisor if required,
                                    and supporting data;
                                    serving non-consenting
                                    lessees with documents.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    1304(d)......................  Request hearing on                     1  1 request..........               1
                                    required unitization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Subtotal...........................................................  3 responses........             285
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submittals
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    1302(b)......................  Submit concurrence or                 35  1 request..........              35
                                    objection on
                                    competitiveness with
                                    supporting evidence.
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    1302(c), (d).................  Submit joint plan of                  45  1 plan.............              45
                                    operations,
                                    supplemental plans, or
                                    a separate plan if
                                    agreement cannot be
                                    reached.
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    1303; 1304...................  **Submit revisions or                  8  50 revs/mods.......             400
                                    modifications to unit
                                    agreement, unit
                                    operating agreement,
                                    plan of operation,
                                    change of unit
                                    operator, etc.
                                                            ----------------------------------------------------
                                                              $831 fees x 50 revisions/modifications = $41,550.
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    1303; 1304...................  **Submit initial, and                 54  10 submissions.....             540
                                    revisions to,
                                    participating area.
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    1304(d)......................  Submit statement at                    5  1 statement........               5
                                    hearing on compulsory
                                    unitization.
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    1304(e)......................  Pay for and submit three               1  1 submission.......               1
                                    copies of verbatim
                                    transcript of hearing.
                                                            ----------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Court reporter and 3 transcript copies for 1
                                                                               hearing = $500.
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        Subtotal...........................................................  64 responses.......           1,026
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                $42,050 non-hour cost burdens.
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General
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    1303.........................  Apply for voluntary                  185  11 applications/              2,035
                                    unitization, including                    plans.
                                    submitting unit
                                    agreement, unit
                                    operating agreement,
                                    initial plan of
                                    operation, obtain
                                    approval of Regional
                                    Supervisor if required,
                                    and supporting data;
                                    request for variance
                                    from model agreement
                                    and other related
                                    requirements.
                                                            ----------------------------------------------------
                                                               $11,698 fee x 11 applications/plans = $128,678.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    1304(f)......................  Appeal final order of          Exempt as defined in 5 CFR                   0
                                    compulsory unitization.           1320.4(a)(2), (c).
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    1300-1304....................  General departure and                  1  2 requests.........               2
                                    alternative compliance
                                    requests not
                                    specifically covered
                                    elsewhere in subpart M
                                    regulations.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Subtotal...........................................................  13 responses.......           2,037
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                               $128,678 non-hour cost burdens.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Total Burden.......................................................  80 responses.......           3,348
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[[Page 55090]]

 
                                                                               $170,728 Non-Hour Cost Burdens.
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* The non-hour cost burdens that are associated with cost recovery monies collected are based on actual
  submittals through Pay.gov for FY 2010.
** These requirements are specified in each Unit Agreement.

    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden: We have 
identified three non-hour cost burdens associated with this information 
collection. Section 250.1303 requires respondents to pay filing fees 
when (1) Applying for a voluntary unitization proposal or unit 
expansion ($11,698), as well as a (2) unitization revision ($831). The 
filing fees are required to recover the Federal Government's processing 
costs. Section 250.1304(d) provides an opportunity for parties notified 
of compulsory unitization to request a hearing; therefore Sec.  
250.1304(e) requires the party seeking the compulsory unitization to 
(3) pay for the court reporter and three copies of the verbatim 
transcript of the hearing (approximately $500).
    It should be noted there have been no such hearings in the recent 
past, and none are expected in the near future. We estimate a total 
reporting non-hour cost burden of $170,728. We have not identified any 
other paperwork non-hour cost burdens associated with the collection of 
information.
    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, 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.
    To comply with the public consultation process, on May 13, 2011, we 
published a Federal Register notice (76 FR 28058) 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.
    Send any comments to the offices listed under the ADDRESSES section 
of this notice. The 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 
October 6, 2011.
    Public Availability of Comments: 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.
    BOEMRE Information Collection Clearance Officer: Arlene Bajusz 
(703) 787-1025.

    Dated: August 22, 2011.
Sharon Buffington,
Acting Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. 2011-22651 Filed 9-2-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P