[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 113 (Monday, June 13, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38215-38217]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-13862]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement

[Docket ID BSEE-2016-0009; OMB Control Number 1014-0004: [164E1700D2 
EEEE500000 ET1SF0000.DAQ000]


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

ACTION: 60-Day notice.

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

SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the 
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 E, Oil and Gas Well-
Completion Operations.

DATE:  You must submit comments by August 12, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods 
listed below.
     Electronically: go to http://www.regulations.gov and 
search for BSEE-2016-0009. Follow the instructions to submit public 
comments and view all related materials. We will post all comments.
     Email [email protected] or hand-carry comments to the 
Department of the Interior; BSEE; Regulations and Standards Branch; 
Attention: Kelly Odom; 45600 Woodland Road; Sterling, Virginia 20166. 
Please reference ICR 1014-0004 in your comment and include your name 
and return address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelly Odom, Regulations and Standards 
Branch at (703) 787-1775 to request additional information about this 
ICR.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: 30 CFR part 250, subpart E, Oil and Gas Well-Completion 
Operations.
    OMB Control Number: 1014-0004.
    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 E, Oil and Gas Well-Completion 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. We use the information to ensure that planned well-
completion operations will protect personnel and natural resources. 
They use the analysis and evaluation results in the decision to 
approve, disapprove, or require modification to the proposed well-
completion operations. Specifically, BSEE uses the information to 
ensure: (a) Compliance with personnel safety training requirements; (b) 
crown block safety device is operating and can be expected to function 
to avoid accidents; (c) proposed operation of the annular preventer is 
technically correct and provides adequate protection for personnel, 
property, and natural resources; (d) well-completion operations are 
conducted on well casings that are structurally competent;

[[Page 38216]]

and (e) sustained casing pressures are within acceptable limits.
    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: Responses are generally weekly, monthly, annually, and 
vary by section.
    Description of Respondents: Potential respondents comprise 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 40,183 hours. 
This submission requests 13,223 burden hours. The adjustment decrease 
of 26,960 hours is due to the publication of the final blowout 
preventer regulations which moved many of the requirements of Subpart F 
into the new Subpart G regulations, Well Operations and Equipment. 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 and                                           Annual burden
     Citation 30 CFR 250 subpart E         recordkeeping      Hour  burden    Average  number of       hours
                                            requirements                      annual  responses      (rounded)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
500-531...............................  General departure    Burden covered under Subpart A--                  0
                                         and alternative     1014-0022
                                         compliance
                                         requests not
                                         specifically
                                         covered elsewhere
                                         in Subpart E
                                         regulations.
                                                            ----------------------------------------------------
513...................................  These sections       APD burden covered under 1014-0025                0
                                         contain references
                                         to information,
                                         approvals,
                                         requests,
                                         payments, etc.,
                                         which are
                                         submitted with an
                                         APD, the burdens
                                         for which are
                                         covered under its
                                         own information
                                         collection.
                                                            ----------------------------------------------------
513(a); 518(f); 526(a); 527...........  These sections       APM burden covered under 1014-0026                0
                                         contain references
                                         to information,
                                         approvals,
                                         requests,
                                         payments, etc.,
                                         which are
                                         submitted with an
                                         APM, the burdens
                                         for which are
                                         covered under its
                                         own information
                                         collection.
                                                            ----------------------------------------------------
511...................................  Record weekly                   1.5  360 completions x 2           1,080
                                         results of                           recordings = 720.
                                         traveling-block
                                         safety device in
                                         operations log.
512...................................  Request                          11  28 field rules.....             308
                                         establishment,
                                         amendment, or
                                         cancellation of
                                         well-completion
                                         field rules.
                                                            ----------------------------------------------------
513(c), (d)...........................  Submit EOR (BSEE-    Burden covered under Subpart D--                  0
                                         0125) to District   1014-0018
                                         Manager 30-day
                                         after completion;
                                         including
                                         additional
                                         supporting
                                         information and
                                         public information
                                         copies.
                                                            ----------------------------------------------------
514(c)................................  Post the number of              1.5  741 postings.......           1,112
                                         stands of drill
                                         pipe/collars that
                                         may be pulled and
                                         equivalent well-
                                         control fluid
                                         volume.
524...................................  Retain records of              1.75  3,017 records......           5,280
                                         casing pressure
                                         and diagnostic
                                         tests for 2 years
                                         or until the well
                                         is abandoned.
526(b); 528...........................  Submit a casing                   9  484 requests.......           4,356
                                         pressure request;
                                         any additional
                                         information as
                                         needed.
530(a)................................  Notify BSEE after                14  68 plans...........             952
                                         completion of
                                         corrected action
                                         within 30 days.
530(b)................................  Submit the casing               2.5  54 submittals......             135
                                         pressure
                                         diagnostic test
                                         data within 14
                                         days.
                                                            ----------------------------------------------------
    Total Hour Burden.................                                       5,112 Responses....          13,223
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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.

[[Page 38217]]

    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: Nicole Mason (703) 
787-1607.

    Dated: June 3, 2016.
Robert W. Middleton,
Deputy Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. 2016-13862 Filed 6-10-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-VH-P