[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 184 (Friday, September 21, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58567-58568]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-23387]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement

[Docket ID: BSEE-2012-0006; OMB Number 1014-0008]


Information Collection Activities: Well Control and Production 
Safety Training, Submitted for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
Review; Comment Request

ACTION: 30-day 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 Subpart O, ``Well Control and 
Production Safety Training.'' This notice also provides the public a 
second opportunity to comment on the revised paperwork burden of these 
regulatory requirements.

DATES: You must submit comments by October 22, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments by either fax (202) 395-5806 or email 
([email protected]) directly to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for the Department of 
the Interior (1014-0008). Please provide a copy of your comments to 
BSEE by any of the means below.
     Electronically: go to http://www.regulations.gov. In the 
entry titled, ``Enter Keyword or ID,'' enter BSEE-2012-0006 then click 
search. Follow the instructions to submit public comments and view all 
related materials. We will post all comments.
     Email [email protected], fax (703) 787-1546, or mail 
or hand-carry comments to: Department of the Interior; Bureau of Safety 
and Environmental Enforcement; Regulations Development Branch; 
Attention: Nicole Mason; 381 Elden Street, HE3313; Herndon, Virginia 
20170-4817. Please reference 1014-0008 in your comment and include your 
name and return address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicole Mason, Regulations Development 
Branch, (703) 787-1605, to request additional information about this 
ICR. To see a copy of the entire ICR submitted to OMB, go to http://www.reginfo.gov (select Information Collection Review, Currently Under 
Review).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: 30 CFR 250, Subpart O, Well Control and Production Safety 
Training.
    OMB Control Number: 1014-0008.
    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 to prescribe rules and regulations to 
administer leasing of the OCS. Such rules and regulations will apply to 
all operations conducted under a lease, right-of-use and easement, and 
pipeline right-of-way. Operations in 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 1332(6) of the OCS Lands Act requires that ``operations in 
the [O]uter Continental Shelf should be conducted in a safe manner by 
well trained personnel using technology, precautions, and other 
techniques sufficient to prevent or minimize the likelihood of 
blowouts, loss of well control, fires, spillages, physical obstructions 
to other users of the waters or subsoil and seabed, or other 
occurrences which may cause damage to the environment or to property or 
endanger life or health.'' To carry out these responsibilities, BSEE 
has issued rules governing training requirements for certain personnel 
working on the OCS at 30 CFR part 250, subpart O, Well Control and 
Production Safety Training. Responses are mandatory or required to 
obtain or retain a benefit. No questions of a sensitive nature are 
asked. The BSEE protects information considered proprietary according 
to 30 CFR

[[Page 58568]]

250.197, Data and information to be made available to the public or for 
limited inspection, and 30 CFR part 252, Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) 
Oil and Gas Information Program.
    The BSEE will use the information collected under subpart O 
regulations to ensure that workers on the OCS are properly trained with 
the necessary skills to perform their jobs in a safe and pollution-free 
manner. In some instances, BSEE will conduct oral interviews of 
offshore employees to evaluate the effectiveness of a company's 
training program. We do the oral interviews to gauge how effectively 
the companies are implementing their own training program. The BSEE 
will use the interview form and keep the information internally. This 
information is necessary to verify training compliance with the 
requirements.
    Frequency: On occasion or annual.
    Description of Respondents: Potential respondents comprise Federal 
oil, gas, or sulphur lessees and/or operators.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: The estimated 
annual hour burden for this information collection is a total of 2,919 
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
   Citation 30 CFR 250 subpart O      Reporting & recordkeeping     Hour burden      of annual     Annual burden
                                             requirement                             responses         hours
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1503(a), (c).......................  Develop training plans.                 105               2             210
                                      Note: Existing lessees/
                                      respondents already have
                                      training plans developed.
                                      This number reflects
                                      development of plans for
                                      any new lessees.
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1503(d)(1).........................  Upon request, provide BSEE               10             130           1,300
                                      with copies of training
                                      documentation for
                                      personnel involved in well
                                      control, deepwater well
                                      control, or production
                                      safety operations within
                                      the past 5 years.
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1503(d)(2).........................  Upon request, provide BSEE               20              30             600
                                      with a copy of your
                                      training plan.
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1507(b)............................  Employee oral interview                   1             500             500
                                      conducted by BSEE.
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1507(c), (d); 1508; 1509...........  Written testing conducted      Not considered information                 0
                                      by BSEE or authorized           collection under 5 CFR
                                      representative.                      1320.3(h)(7).
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1510(b)............................  Revise training plan and                 60               5             300
                                      submit to BSEE.
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250.1500-1510......................  General departure or                      3               3               9
                                      alternative compliance
                                      requests not specifically
                                      covered elsewhere in
                                      subpart O.
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    Total Hour Burden..............  ...........................  ..............             670           2,919
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    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden: We have 
identified no non-hour cost burdens associated with the collection of 
information.
    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: 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 
collection is necessary or useful; (b) evaluate the accuracy 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 
technology.
    To comply with the public consultation process, on April 16, 2012, 
we published a Federal Register notice (77 FR 22602) 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 received 
one comment in response to the Federal Register notice, but it was not 
germane to the paperwork burden of this collection.
    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.
    Acting BSSE Information Collection Clearance Officer: Cheryl 
Blundon (703) 787-1607.

    Dated: July 24, 2012.
Robert W. Middleton,
Deputy Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. 2012-23387 Filed 9-20-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-VH-P