[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 235 (Thursday, December 6, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72880-72882]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-29422]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement

[Docket ID BSEE-2012-0012; OMB Control Number 1014-0013]


Information Collection Activities: Notice to Lessees and/or 
Operators (NTL)--Gulf of Mexico OCS Region--GPS (Global Positioning 
System) for MODUs (Mobile Offshore Drilling Units); 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 associated with 30 CFR part 250, subpart A, General, and 
related documents. This notice also provides the public a second 
opportunity to comment on the revised paperwork burden of these 
requirements.

DATES: You must submit comments by January 7, 2013.

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 (1014-0013). 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-2012-0012 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; BSEE; 
Regulations and Standards Branch (RSB); ATTN: Cheryl Blundon; 381 Elden 
Street, HE3313; Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817. Please reference 1014-
0013 in your comment and include your name and return address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Blundon, RSB, (703) 787-1607, 
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: Notice to Lessees and/or Operators (NTL)--Gulf of Mexico OCS 
Region--GPS (Global Positioning System) for MODUs (Mobile Offshore 
Drilling Units).
    OMB Control Number: 1014-0013.
    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 necessary 
for the administration of the leasing provisions of that Act related to 
mineral resources on the OCS. Such rules and regulations will apply to 
all operations conducted under a lease, right-of-way, or a right-of-use 
and easement. 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; to 
preserve and maintain free enterprise competition; and to ensure that 
the extent of oil and natural gas resources of the OCS is assessed at 
the earliest practicable time. Section 43 U.S.C. 1332(6) states that 
``operations in the outer Continental Shelf should be conducted in a 
safe manner by well-trained personnel using technology, precautions, 
and techniques sufficient to prevent or minimize the likelihood of 
blowouts, loss of well control, fires, spillages, physical obstruction 
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 issues regulations to 
ensure that operations in the OCS will meet statutory requirements; 
provide for safety and protect the environment; and result in diligent 
exploration, development, and production of OCS leases. In addition, we 
also issue NTLs that provide clarification, explanation, and 
interpretation of our regulations. These NTLs are used to convey purely 
informational material and to cover

[[Page 72881]]

situations that might not be adequately addressed in our regulations.
    The subject of this ICR is an NTL, GPS (Global Positioning System) 
for MODUs (Mobile Offshore Drilling Units). This NTL requires MODUs to 
be equipped with multiple tracking/location devices so that during a 
storm event (hurricane) the respondent, as well as BSEE, will have the 
capability to monitor their locations. This NTL also provides BSEE GPS 
data access thereby granting us real-time location information as 
needed for the Hurricane Response Team (HRT).
    The primary regulation for this IC is 30 CFR part 250, Subpart A, 
approved under the OMB Control Number 1014-0013. However, in connection 
with this subpart, the burden requirements in the NTL are in addition 
to the currently approved paperwork burdens under those requirements.
    The information to be collected is necessary for BSEE to assess the 
whereabouts of any MODU becoming unmoored due to extreme weather 
situations; as well as, to follow the path of that facility to 
determine if other facilities/pipelines, etc., were damaged in any way. 
The offshore oil and gas industry will use the information to determine 
the safest and quickest way to either remove the obstacles or to fix 
and reuse them.
    Regulations at 30 CFR part 250 implement these statutory 
requirements. The information to be collected is necessary for BSEE to 
assess the whereabouts of any MODU becoming unmoored due to extreme 
weather situations; as well as, to follow the path of that facility to 
determine if other facilities/pipelines, etc., were damaged in any way. 
The offshore oil and gas industry will use the information to determine 
the safest and quickest way to either remove the obstacles or to fix 
and reuse them.
    Responses are required to obtain or retain a benefit. No questions 
of a sensitive nature are asked. We will protect information considered 
proprietary according to Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and 
its implementing regulations (43 CFR part 2), and 30 CFR 250.197, Data 
and information to be made available to the public or for limited 
inspection.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Description of Respondents: Potential respondents comprise Federal 
oil and gas lessees and operators that drill using MODUs.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: The estimated 
annual hour burden for this IC is a total of 1 hour. The following 
chart details the individual components and estimated hour burden. 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.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  NTL--Gulf of Mexico OCS Region--                            Average number of
           GPS for MODUs                  Hour burden         annual  responses         Annual burden hours
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                                                                Non-Hour Cost Burdens
                                    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1--Notify BSEE with tracking/        15 mins..............  1 rig *..............  1 hour (rounded).
 locator data access; notify BSEE
 Hurricane Response Team as soon as
 operator is aware a rig has moved
 off location.
                                     15 mins..............  1 notification *
                                    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2--Purchase and install tracking/    20 devices per year for replacement and/or new x $325.00 = $6,500.
 locator devices--(these are
 replacement GPS devices or new
 rigs).
                                    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
3--Pay monthly tracking fee for GPS  40 rigs at $50/month = $600/year = $24,000.
 devices already placed on MODUs/
 rig.
                                    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
4--Rent GPS devices and pay monthly  40 rigs @ $1,800 per year = $72,000.
 tracking fee per rig.
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    TOTAL BURDEN..........................................  102 Responses........  1 Hour.
ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½
                                            $ 102,500 non-hour cost burden.
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    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden: We have 
identified 3 non-hour cost burdens associated with the collection of 
information. The non-hour cost burdens in this IC total an estimated 
$102,500 and they are: the actual GPS device--$325; paying a monthly 
tracking fee for devices physically located on a MODU--$50/mo or $600/
year; and renting the GPS devices and paying a monthly tracking fee 
totaling--$1,800 per year.
    We have not identified any other non-hour cost burdens associated 
with this 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 June 21, 2012, 
we published a Federal Register notice (77 FR 37430) 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 part 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 no comments in response to these efforts.

[[Page 72882]]

    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.

    Dated: November 29, 2012.
Robert W. Middleton,
Deputy Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. 2012-29422 Filed 12-5-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-VH-P