[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 16 (Wednesday, January 24, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4621-4623]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-01285]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement

[Docket ID BSEE-2023-0005; EEEE500000 245E1700D2 ET1SF0000.EAQ000; OMB 
Control Number 1014-0015]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Unitization

AGENCY: Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 
the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) proposes to 
renew an information collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
February 23, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function. Please 
provide a copy of your comments to Nikki Mason, BSEE ICCO, 45600 
Woodland Road, Sterling, VA 20166; or by email to [email protected]. 
Please reference OMB Control Number 1014-0015 in the subject line of 
your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact Nikki Mason by email at [email protected], 
or by telephone at (703) 787-1607. Individuals in the United States who 
are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may 
dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay 
services. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay 
services offered within their country to make international calls to 
the point-of-contact in the United States. You may

[[Page 4622]]

also view the ICR at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the PRA and 5 CFR 
1320.8(d)(1), we provide the general public and other Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and 
continuing collections of information. This helps us assess the impact 
of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's 
reporting burden. It also helps the public understand our information 
collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired 
format.
    A Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period 
soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on 
June 16, 2023 (88 FR 39458). No comments were received.
    As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent 
burdens, we are again soliciting comments from the public and other 
Federal agencies on the proposed ICR that is described below. We are 
especially interested in public comment addressing the following:
    (1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether or not the information will have practical utility;
    (2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection 
of information, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used;
    (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (4) How might the agency minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of response.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. 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.
    Abstract: BSEE must approve any lessee's proposal to enter an 
agreement to unitize operations under two or more leases and for 
modifications when warranted. We use the information to ensure that 
operations under the proposed unit agreement will result in preventing 
waste, conserving natural resources, and protecting correlative rights 
including the government's interests.
    Title of Collection: Unitization.
    OMB Control Number: 1014-0015.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Potential respondents include Federal 
OCS oil, gas, and sulfur lessees and/or operators and holders of 
pipeline rights-of-way.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: Currently there are 
approximately 555 Federal OCS oil, gas, and sulfur lessees and holders 
of pipeline rights-of-way. Not all the potential respondents will 
submit information in any given year, and some may submit multiple 
times.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 79.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: Varies from 1 hour to 300 
hours, depending on activity.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 5,998.
    Respondent's Obligation: Responses are voluntary, and some are 
required to obtain or retain benefits.
    Frequency of Collection: Submissions are generally on occasion.
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $149,836.

                                                Burden Breakdown
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                         Annual
Citation  30 CFR 250  subpart M     Recordkeeping and       Hour burden      Average number annual       burden
                                  reporting requirement                            responses             hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                          Non-hour cost burdens *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1301...........................  Description of           Burden included in the following sections.           0
                                  requirements.
                                                         ---------------------------------------------
1300-1304......................  General departure and    Burden covered under Subpart A [1014-0022].          0
                                  alternative compliance
                                  requests under subpart
                                  M regulations.
                                                         ---------------------------------------------
1301(a), 1303..................  Apply for voluntary                 520  8 apps/plans...............      4,160
                                  unitization, including
                                  submitting unit
                                  agreement, unit
                                  operating agreement,
                                  initial plan of
                                  operation, obtain
                                  approval of Regional
                                  Supervisor if
                                  required, and
                                  supporting data;
                                  request for variance
                                  from model agreement
                                  and other related
                                  requirements.
                                                         -------------------------------------------------------
                                                          $12,619 fee x 8 applications/plans = $100,952.
                                                         -------------------------------------------------------
1301(d), (f)(3), (g)(1), (g)(2)  Request suspension of    Burden covered under Subpart A [1014-0022].          0
 (ii).                            production or
                                  operations.
                                                         ---------------------------------------------
1302(b)........................  Request preliminary                 116  1 request..................        116
                                  determination on
                                  competitive reservoir.
1302(b)........................  Submit concurrence or                47  1 request..................         47
                                  objection on
                                  competitiveness with
                                  supporting evidence.
1302(c), (d)...................  Submit joint                         68  1 plan.....................         68
                                  competitive reservoir
                                  development program,
                                  supplemental plans, or
                                  a separate plan if
                                  agreement cannot be
                                  reached.
1303; 1304.....................  * Submit revisions or                10  54 revs/mods...............        540
                                  modifications to unit
                                  agreement, unit
                                  operating agreement,
                                  plan of operation,
                                  change of unit
                                  operator, etc.
                                                         -------------------------------------------------------
                                                             $896 fees x 54 revisions/modifications = $48,384.
                                                         -------------------------------------------------------
1303; 1304.....................  * Submit initial, and                76  10 submissions.............        760
                                  revisions to
                                  participating area.

[[Page 4623]]

 
1304(b)........................  Request compulsory                  300  1 request..................        300
                                  unitization, including
                                  submitting unit
                                  agreement, unit
                                  operating agreement,
                                  initial plan of
                                  operation, obtain
                                  approval of Regional
                                  Supervisor if
                                  required, and
                                  supporting data;
                                  serving non-consenting
                                  lessees with documents.
1304(d)........................  Request hearing on                    1  1 request..................          1
                                  required unitization.
1304(d)........................  Submit statement at                   5  1 statement................          5
                                  hearing on compulsory
                                  unitization.
1304(e)........................  Pay for and submit                    1  1 submission...............          1
                                  three copies of
                                  verbatim transcript of
                                  hearing.
                                                         -------------------------------------------------------
                                                          Court reporter and 3 transcript copies for 1 hearing =
                                                          $500.
                                                         -------------------------------------------------------
1304(f)........................  Appeal final order of    Exempt as defined in 5 CFR 1320.4(a)(2),             0
                                  compulsory unitization. (c).
                                                         -------------------------------------------------------
    Total Burden........................................................  79 Responses...............      5,998
                                --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 $149,836 Non-Hour Cost Burdens.
                                --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    An agency may not conduct, or sponsor and a person is not required 
to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number.
    The authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Kirk Malstrom,
Chief, Regulations and Standards Branch.
[FR Doc. 2024-01285 Filed 1-23-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-VH-P