[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 129 (Tuesday, July 7, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38734-38736]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-16599]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement

[Docket ID BSEE-2015-0004; OMB Control Number 1014-0008; 15XE1700DX 
EEEE500000 EX1SF0000.DAQ000]


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), the 
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) is 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 August 6, 2015.

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 
Search box, enter BSEE-2015-0004 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 the Department of the Interior; Bureau of 
Safety and Environmental Enforcement; Regulations and Standards Branch; 
ATTN: Cheryl Blundon; 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, VA 20166. Please 
reference ICR 1014-0008 in your comment and include your name and 
return address.

[[Page 38735]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Blundon, Regulations and 
Standards Branch, (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: 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 necessary 
for the administration of the leasing provisions of the Act related to 
mineral resources on the OCS. Such rules and regulations will apply to 
all operations conducted under a lease, pipeline 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; and to preserve and maintain free enterprise 
competition.
    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.
    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.''
    It should be noted, that due to the regulatory requirements in 30 
CFR 250, subpart S (SEMS), the 30 CFR 250, subpart O, audits ceased. 
The training audits fall under the requirements defined in Sec.  
250.1915. However, BSEE keeps subpart O documents and regulations 
active, because the subpart O regulatory requirements give BSEE the 
authority and ability to test employees on the effectiveness of their 
own training program with respect to well control and production 
safety.
    This authority and responsibility are among those delegated to the 
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE). The regulations 
at 30 CFR 250, subpart O, Well Control and Production Safety Training, 
concern training requirements for certain personnel working on the OCS 
and is the subject of this collection. This request also covers the 
related Notices to Lessees and Operators (NTLs) that BSEE issues to 
clarify, supplement, or provide additional guidance on some aspects of 
our regulations.
    BSEE will use the information collected under subpart O regulations 
to ensure that workers in the OCS are properly trained with the 
necessary skills to perform their jobs in a safe and pollution-free 
manner.
    In some instances, we may conduct oral interviews of offshore 
employees to evaluate the effectiveness of a company's training 
program. The oral interviews are used to gauge how effectively the 
companies are implementing their own training program.
    Responses are mandatory or are required to obtain or retain a 
benefit. No questions of a sensitive or private nature are asked. If 
however, we did collect any such information, BSEE protects information 
considered proprietary under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 
552) and DOIs implementing regulations (43 CFR 2), and under 
regulations at 30 CFR part 250.197, Data and information to be made 
available to the public or for limited inspection, 30 CFR part 252, OCS 
Oil and Gas Information Program.
    The information collected under subpart O is used to ensure that 
workers in the OCS are properly trained with the necessary skills to 
perform their jobs in a safe and pollution-free manner.
    In some instances, we may conduct oral interviews of offshore 
employees to evaluate the effectiveness of a company's training 
program. The oral interviews are used to gauge how effectively the 
companies are implementing their own training program.
    Frequency: On occasion and as required by regulations.
    Description of Respondents: Potential respondents comprise OCS 
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 202 
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.

                                                  Burden Table
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   Reporting &
 Citation 30 CFR 250 Subpart      recordkeeping        Hour burden     Average number of annual    Annual burden
              O                    requirement                                 responses               hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1503(a), (c)................  Develop training      120.............  1.........................             120
                               plans. Note:
                               Existing lessees/
                               respondents already
                               have training plans
                               developed. This
                               number reflects
                               development of
                               plans for any new
                               lessees.

[[Page 38736]]

 
1503(d)(1)..................  Upon request,         16..............  1.........................              16
                               provide BSEE with
                               copies of training
                               documentation for
                               personnel involved
                               in well control,
                               deepwater well
                               control, or
                               production safety
                               operations within
                               the past 5 years.
1503(d)(2)..................  Upon request,         16..............  1.........................              16
                               provide BSEE with a
                               copy of your
                               training plan.
1507(b).....................  Employee oral         2...............  1.........................               2
                               interview conducted
                               by BSEE..
                                                   ----------------------------------------------
1507(c), (d); 1508; 1509....  Written testing        Not considered information collection under               0
                               conducted by BSEE                 5 CFR 1320.3(h)(7).
                               or authorized
                               representative.
                                                   ----------------------------------------------
1510(b).....................  Revise training plan  40..............  1.........................              40
                               and submit to BSEE..
250.1500-1510...............  General departure or  8...............  1.........................               8
                               alternative
                               compliance requests
                               not specifically
                               covered elsewhere
                               in subpart O.
                                                   -------------------------------------------------------------
    Total Hour Burden.......  ....................  ................  6.........................             202
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden: We have 
not identified any 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 April 10, 2015, 
we published a Federal Register notice (80 FR 19352) 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, subpart O regulations and forms. 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 or unsolicited comments from respondents covered under these 
regulations. The comment was from a private citizen and it was not 
germane to the paperwork burden of this ICR.
    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: June 16, 2015.
Keith Good,
Acting Deputy Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. 2015-16599 Filed 7-6-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-VH-P