[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 208 (Thursday, October 27, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74814-74816]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-25959]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement

[Docket ID BSEE-2016-0009; OMB Number 1014-0004; 17XE1700DX EEEE500000 
EX1SF0000.DAQ000]


Information Collection Activities: Oil and Gas Well-Completion 
Operations; Submitted for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Review; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Interior.

ACTION: 30-Day notice.

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[[Page 74815]]

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 E, Oil and Gas Well Completion Operations. 
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 November 28, 2016.

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 (1014-0004). 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-2016-0009 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 and Standards Branch; ATTN: 
Kelly Odom; 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, VA 20166. Please reference 
1014-0004 in your comment and include your name and return address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelly Odom, Regulations and Standards 
Branch, (703) 787-1775, 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 E, Oil and Gas Well-Completion 
Operations.
    OMB Control Number: 1014-0004.
    Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act, as amended 
at 43 U.S.C. 1334 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 gas resources in the 
OCS 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 resources development with protection of the 
human, marine, and coastal environment; 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.
    These authorities and responsibilities are among those delegated to 
BSEE. The regulations at 30 CFR 250, Subpart E, concern oil and gas 
well-completion operations and are 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.
    All responses are mandatory. This collection does not contain 
questions of a sensitive nature. BSEE will protect proprietary 
information according to the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) 
and DOI's implementing regulations (43 CFR 2); 30 CFR part 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. 
BSEE uses the information collected under Subpart E to ensure that 
planned well-completion operations will protect personnel and natural 
resources. We 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:
     Compliance with personnel safety training requirements;
     Crown block safety device is operating and can be expected 
to function to avoid accidents;
     Proposed operation of the annular preventer is technically 
correct and provides adequate protection for personnel, property, and 
natural resources;
     Well-completion operations are conducted on well casings 
that are structurally competent; and
     Sustained casing pressures are within acceptable limits.
    Frequency: Weekly, monthly, biannually, and vary by section.
    Description of Respondents: Potential respondents comprise Federal 
oil, gas, or sulfur lessees and/or operators, and holders of pipeline 
rights-of-way.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: The estimated 
annual hour burden for this information collection is a total of 14,890 
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.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         Reporting and                                             Annual burden
       30 CFR 250 subpart E              recordkeeping         Hour burden    Average number of        hours
                                         requirements                          annual responses      (rounded)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
500-531..........................  General departure and       Burden covered under Subpart A--                0
                                    alternative compliance                1014-0022
                                    requests not
                                    specifically covered
                                    elsewhere in Subpart E
                                    regulations.
                                                            -------------------------------------

[[Page 74816]]

 
513..............................  These sections contain     APD burden covered under 1014-0025               0
                                    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 contain     APM burden covered under 1014-0026               0
                                    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 results of             1.5  455 completions x 1             683
                                    traveling-block safety                    recordings = 455.
                                    device in operations
                                    log.
512..............................  Request establishment,                13  20 requests........             260
                                    amendment, or
                                    cancellation of well-
                                    completion field rules.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
524..............................  Retain records of casing            1.75  3,547 records......           6,207
                                    pressure and diagnostic
                                    tests for 2 years or
                                    until the well is
                                    abandoned.
526(b); 528......................  Submit a casing pressure               8  681 requests.......           5,448
                                    request; any additional
                                    information as needed.
530(a)...........................  Submit correction action              13  71 plans...........             923
                                    plan to District
                                    Manager; notify BSEE
                                    after completion of
                                    corrected action within
                                    30 days.
530(b)...........................  Submit the casing                    2.5  63 submittals......             158
                                    pressure diagnostic
                                    test data within 14
                                    days.
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
    Total Burden.................  ........................  ..............  5,644..............          14,890
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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: 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 13, 2016, 
we published a Federal Register notice (81 FR 38215) 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 30 CFR 250, Subpart E regulations. The regulation also informs the 
public that they may comment at any time on the collection of 
information and provides the address to which they should send 
comments. We did not receive any comments in response to the Federal 
Register notice.
    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.
    BSSE Information Collection Clearance Officer: Nicole Mason, (703) 
787-1607.

Robert W. Middleton,
Deputy Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. 2016-25959 Filed 10-26-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-VH-P