[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 155 (Monday, August 12, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48895-48898]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-19423]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement

[Docket ID BSEE-2013-0006; OMB Control Number 1014-0001: [134E1700D2 
EEEE500000 ET1SF0000.DAQ000]


Information Collection Activities: Oil and Gas Well-Workover 
Operations; Proposed Collection; Comment Request

ACTION: 60-Day notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) 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 renewal to the paperwork 
requirements in the regulations under Subpart F, Oil and Gas Well-
Workover Operations.

DATE: You must submit comments by October 11, 2013.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods 
listed below.
     Electronically: go to http://www.regulations.gov. In the 
Search box, enter BSEE-2013-0006 then click search. Follow the 
instructions to submit public comments and view all related materials. 
We will post all comments.
     Email [email protected]. Mail or hand-carry comments 
to the Department of the Interior; BSEE; Regulations and Standards 
Branch;

[[Page 48896]]

Attention: Nicole Mason; 381 Elden Street HE3313; Herndon, Virginia 
20170-4817. Please reference ICR 1014-0001 in your comment and include 
your name and return address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicole Mason, Regulations and 
Standards Branch at (703) 787-1605 to request additional information 
about this ICR.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: 30 CFR Part 250, Subpart F, Oil and Gas Well-Workover 
Operations.
    OMB Control Number: 1014-0001.
    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 the Act related to 
the mineral resources on the OCS. Such rules and regulations will apply 
to all operations conducted under a lease. Operations on the OCS must 
preserve, protect, and develop mineral 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 BSEE 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 (IC) request addresses the regulations at 30 CFR 
250, subpart F, Oil and Gas Well-Workover Operations, and any 
associated supplementary Notices to Lessees and Operators (NTLs) 
intended to provide clarification, description, or explanation of these 
regulations.
    In addition to the general rulemaking authority of the OCSLA at 43 
U.S.C. 1334, section 301(a) of the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty 
Management Act (FOGRMA), 30 U.S.C. 1751(a), grants authority to the 
Secretary to prescribe such rules and regulations as are reasonably 
necessary to carry out FOGRMA's provisions. While the majority of 
FOGRMA is directed to royalty collection and enforcement, some 
provisions apply to offshore operations. For example, section 108 of 
FOGRMA, 30 U.S.C. 1718, grants the Secretary broad authority to inspect 
lease sites for the purpose of determining whether there is compliance 
with the mineral leasing laws. Section 109(c)(2) and (d)(1), 30 U.S.C. 
1719(c)(2) and (d)(1), impose substantial civil penalties for failure 
to permit lawful inspections and for knowing or willful preparation or 
submission of false, inaccurate, or misleading reports, records, or 
other information. Because the Secretary has delegated some of the 
authority under FOGRMA to BSEE, 30 U.S.C. 1751 is included as 
additional authority for these requirements.
    Regulations at 30 CFR part 250 implement these statutory 
requirements. Specifically, BSEE uses the information collected to:
     Review log entries of crew meetings to verify that safety 
procedures have been properly reviewed.
     Review well-workover procedures relating to hydrogen 
sulfide (H2S) to ensure the safety of the crew in the event 
of encountering H2S.
     Review well-workover diagrams and procedures to ensure the 
safety of well-workover operations.
     Verify that the crown block safety device is operating and 
can be expected to function and avoid accidents.
     Verify that the proposed operation of the annular 
preventer is technically correct and will provide adequate protection 
for personnel, property, and natural resources.
     Verify the reasons for postponing blowout preventer (BOP) 
tests, verify the state of readiness of the equipment and ascertain 
that the equipment meets safety standards and requirements, ensure that 
BOP tests have been conducted in the manner and frequency to promote 
personnel safety and protect natural resources. Specific testing 
information must be recorded to verify that the proper test procedures 
were followed.
     Assure that the well-workover operations are conducted on 
well casing that is structurally competent.
    The BSEE will protect proprietary information according to the 
Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and its implementing 
regulations (43 CFR 2); 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. No items of a sensitive nature are 
collected. Responses are mandatory.
    Frequency: On occasion, weekly, monthly, annually, and varies by 
section.
    Description of Respondents: Potential respondents include Federal 
OCS oil, gas, and sulphur lessees and holders of pipeline rights-of-
way.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: The currently 
approved annual reporting burden for this collection is 41,413 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 their activities. We consider these to be usual and customary 
and took that into account in estimating the burden.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      Reporting
  Citation 30 CFR 250, subpart F     requirement         Hour burden
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 Request
------------------------------------------------------------------------
602..............................  Request          1
                                    exceptions
                                    prior to
                                    moving well-
                                    workover
                                    equipment.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
605; 613; 616(a), (f)(4); 617(d).  Request          0
                                    approval to
                                    begin subsea
                                    well-workover
                                    operations;
                                    submit Forms
                                    BSEE-0124
                                    (include, if
                                    required,
                                    alternate
                                    procedures and
                                    equipment;
                                    stump test
                                    procedures
                                    plan) and BSEE-
                                    0125; and all
                                    supporting
                                    documentation.
612..............................  Request          5
                                    establishment/
                                    amendment/
                                    cancellation
                                    of field well-
                                    workover rules.
614(d)...........................  Request          2
                                    approval from
                                    the District
                                    Manager to
                                    displace kill-
                                    weight fluids
                                    to an
                                    underbalanced
                                    state; submit
                                    detailed
                                    written
                                    procedures
                                    with your APM.
617(a)...........................  Request          1.5
                                    exception to
                                    rated working
                                    pressure of
                                    the BOP
                                    equipment;
                                    request
                                    exception to
                                    annular-type
                                    BOP testing.

[[Page 48897]]

 
618(a)(2)........................  Request          0
                                    approval to
                                    use
                                    alternative
                                    method to
                                    inspect a
                                    marine riser.
600-620..........................  General
                                    departure and
                                    alternative
                                    compliance
                                    requests not
                                    specifically
                                    covered
                                    elsewhere in
                                    Subpart F
                                    regulations.
----------------------------------------------------2-------------------
 
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¿½
           qdrt]Posting
------------------------------------------------------------------------
614(b)...........................  Post number of   0.25
                                    stands of
                                    drill pipe or
                                    workover
                                    string and
                                    drill collars
                                    that may be
                                    pulled prior
                                    to filling the
                                    hole and
                                    equivalent
                                    well-control
                                    fluid volume.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Submittals/Notifications
------------------------------------------------------------------------
602..............................  Notify BSEE of   0
                                    any rig
                                    movement
                                    within Gulf of
                                    Mexico (Form
                                    BSEE-0144).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
615..............................  Submit a         15
                                    description of
                                    your BOP and
                                    its
                                    components;
                                    schematic
                                    drawings;
                                    independent
                                    third party
                                    verification
                                    and all
                                    supporting
                                    information
                                    (evidence
                                    showing
                                    appropriate
                                    licenses, has
                                    expertise/
                                    experience
                                    necessary to
                                    perform
                                    required
                                    verifications,
                                    etc) with your
                                    APM.
615(e)(2)(ii)....................  Allow BSEE       0.25
                                    access to
                                    witness
                                    testing,
                                    inspections,
                                    and
                                    information
                                    verification.
                                    Notify
                                    District
                                    Manager at
                                    least 72 hours
                                    prior to
                                    shearing ram
                                    tests.
617(h)(1)(ii)....................  Notify District  0.25
                                    Manager at
                                    least 72 hours
                                    prior to stump/
                                    initial test
                                    on seafloor.
619; NTL.........................  Notify BSEE if   1
                                    sustained
                                    casing
                                    pressure is
                                    observed on a
                                    well.
619(b)...........................  Submit results   4
                                    of pressure
                                    test, caliper,
                                    or otherwise
                                    evaluate
                                    tubing &
                                    wellhead
                                    equipment
                                    casing (every
                                    30 days during
                                    prolonged
                                    operations);
                                    request
                                    written
                                    approval.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             Record/Document
------------------------------------------------------------------------
606..............................  Instruct crew    1
                                    members in
                                    safety
                                    requirements
                                    of operations
                                    to be
                                    performed;
                                    document
                                    meetings; make
                                    available to
                                    BSEE for
                                    review.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
611..............................  Document         1
                                    results of
                                    traveling-
                                    block safety
                                    device in the
                                    operations log.
617(b)(2)........................  Record reason    0.5
                                    for postponing
                                    BOP system
                                    tests in
                                    operations log.
617(f); 618(a)(1)................  Record test      2
                                    pressures
                                    during BOP and
                                    coiled tubing
                                    tests for well-
                                    workovers on a
                                    pressure chart
                                    or with a
                                    digital
                                    recorder;
                                    certify the
                                    information is
                                    correct.
617(g); 618(a)(1);...............  Record time,     4
                                    date, and
                                    results of all
                                    pressure
                                    tests,
                                    actuations,
                                    inspections,
                                    and crew
                                    drills of the
                                    BOP system
                                    components and
                                    risers in the
                                    operations log
                                    during well-
                                    workovers;
                                    retain records
                                    for 2 years;
                                    make available
                                    to BSEE.
617(h)(l)*.......................  Document all     10
                                    test results
                                    of your ROV
                                    intervention
                                    functions
                                    including how
                                    you test each
                                    ROV function;
                                    submit test
                                    procedures
                                    with your APM
                                    for District
                                    Manager
                                    approval; make
                                    available to
                                    BSEE upon
                                    request.
617(h)(2)*.......................  Document all     0.5
                                    autoshear and
                                    deadman test
                                    results;
                                    submit test
                                    procedures
                                    with your APM
                                    for District
                                    Manager
                                    approval; make
                                    available to
                                    BSEE upon
                                    request.
618(a)...........................  Document the     7 days x 12 hrs/day
                                    procedures       = 84
                                    used for BOP
                                    inspections;
                                    record
                                    results;
                                    maintain
                                    records for 2
                                    years; make
                                    available to
                                    BSEE upon
                                    request.
618(b)...........................  Document the     1
                                    procedures
                                    used for BOP
                                    maintenance;
                                    record
                                    results;
                                    maintain
                                    records for 2
                                    years; make
                                    available to
                                    BSEE upon
                                    request.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden: We have 
identified no 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: 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 
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.
    Agencies must also estimate the non-hour paperwork cost burdens to 
respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of 
information. Therefore, if you have other than hour burden 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. For further 
information on this burden, refer to 5 CFR 1320.3(b)(1) and (2), or 
contact the Bureau representative listed previously in this notice.
    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.
    BSEE Information Collection Clearance Officer: Cheryl Blundon (703) 
787-1607.


[[Page 48898]]


    Dated: August 2, 2013.
Robert W. Middleton,
Deputy Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. 2013-19423 Filed 8-9-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-VH-P