[Federal Register: April 2, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 64)]
[Notices]
[Page 17964-17966]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02ap08-47]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Energy Information Administration
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request
AGENCY: Energy Information Administration (EIA), Department of Energy
(DOE).
ACTION: Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request.
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SUMMARY: The EIA is soliciting comments on the proposed revision and 3-
year extension of the surveys in the Natural Gas Data Collection
Program Package. The surveys covered by this request include:
Form EIA-176, ``Annual Report of Natural and Supplemental
Gas Supply and Disposition''
EIA-191, ``Monthly and Annual Underground Gas Storage
Report''
EIA-857, ``Monthly Report of Natural Gas Purchases and
Deliveries to Consumers''
EIA-895, ``Monthly and Annual Quantity and Value of
Natural Gas Production Report''
EIA-910, ``Monthly Natural Gas Marketer Survey''
EIA-912, ``Weekly Underground Natural Gas Storage Report''
EIA-757, ``Natural Gas Processing Plant Survey''
DATES: Comments must be filed by June 2, 2008. If you anticipate
difficulty in submitting comments within that period, contact the
person listed below as soon as possible.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Ms. Amy Sweeney, Natural Gas Division,
Office of Oil and Gas, Energy Information Administration. To ensure
receipt of the comments by the due date, submission by fax (202-586-
4420) or e-mail (amy.sweeney@eia.doe.gov) is recommended. The mailing
address is Ms. Amy Sweeney, Energy Information Administration, U.S.
Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave., SW., EI-44, Washington,
DC 20585. Also, Ms. Sweeney may be contacted by telephone at 202-586-
2627.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of any forms and instructions should be directed to Ms. Sweeney
at the address listed above. Also, the draft forms and instructions are
available on the EIA Web site at http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/fwd/
proposed.html.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
II. Current Actions
III. Request for Comments
I. Background
The Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-275, 15
U.S.C. 761 et seq.) and the DOE Organization Act (Pub. L. 95-91, 42
U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) require the EIA to carry out a centralized,
comprehensive, and unified energy information program. This program
collects, evaluates, assembles, analyzes, and disseminates information
on energy resource reserves, production, demand, technology, and
related economic and statistical information. This information is used
to assess the adequacy of energy resources to meet both near and
longer-term domestic demands.
The EIA, as part of its effort to comply with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), provides
the general public and other Federal agencies with opportunities to
comment on the collection of energy information conducted by or in
conjunction with the EIA. Any comments help the EIA prepare data
requests that maximize the utility of the information collected and
assess the impact of collection requirements on the public. As required
by section 3507(h)(1) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the EIA
will later seek approval for this collection by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB).
The natural gas surveys included in the Natural Gas Data Collection
Program Package collect information on natural gas production,
underground storage, supply, processing, transmission, distribution,
consumption by sector, and wellhead and consumer prices. This
information is used to support public policy analyses of the natural
gas industry and estimates generated from data collected on these
surveys. The statistics generated from these surveys are posted to the
EIA Web site (http://www.eia.doe.gov) in various EIA products,
including the Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report (WNGSR), Natural Gas
Monthly (NGM), Natural Gas Annual (NGA), Monthly Energy Review (MER),
Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), Annual Energy Outlook (AEO), and
Annual Energy Review (AER). Respondents to EIA natural gas surveys
include State agencies, underground storage operators, transporters,
marketers, and distributors. Each form included as part of this package
is discussed in detail below.
Please refer to the proposed forms and instructions for more
information about the purpose, who must report, when to report, where
to submit, the elements to be reported, detailed instructions,
provisions for confidentiality, and uses (including possible
nonstatistical uses) of the information. For instructions on obtaining
materials, see the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
II. Current Actions
EIA will be requesting a 3-year extension of the collection
authority for each of the above-referenced surveys and will have minor
changes made to the forms and instructions to provide simplicity and
clarity. In addition, EIA proposes the changes outlined below.
Form EIA-176, ``Annual Report of Natural and Supplemental Gas Supply
and Disposition''
In Part 6 of the form, EIA proposes to collect ``Revenue'' data for
deliveries of natural gas that are transported but not owned by the
delivery company in item 11. This change will create consistency within
the form, as item 10 (deliveries owned) currently includes ``Revenue''
among the collected data. By collecting Revenue for the gas transported
but not owned by the EIA-176 respondents, the
[[Page 17965]]
quality of EIA's natural gas transportation price information will be
improved. Prices would be derived by dividing the revenue from delivery
of natural gas not owned by the volume of natural gas not owned by the
delivery company. The new data would give EIA an annual benchmark with
which to compare the monthly revenue from the delivery of gas not owned
collected on Form EIA-857, ``Monthly Report of Natural Gas Purchases
and Deliveries.'' EIA has learned that having annual benchmark revenue
data with which to compare monthly data results in better data quality
as the monthly data are frequently subject to accounting adjustments
that occur due to the staggered timing of meter readings during the
month.
Form EIA-857, ``Monthly Report of Natural Gas Purchases and Deliveries
to Consumers''
EIA is proposing to collect ``Revenue'' data for gas sold and
transported to electric power customers as it does for residential,
commercial, industrial, and other natural gas customers. EIA also
proposes to collect customer counts, i.e., the number of customers, for
each end-use sector as it does on the annual form, EIA-176.
Currently electric revenue data are not collected, as the data used
to determine published prices for natural gas used for electric
generation come from other EIA surveys, Form EIA-423, ``Monthly Cost
and Quality of Fuels for Electric Plants Report,'' and Form EIA-906,
``Power Plant Report.'' However, not allowing respondents to report
revenue for deliveries to the electric power sector on Form EIA-857 has
caused some confusion as to where this revenue should be reported.
Consequently, some revenue has been reported in the wrong end-use
sector. Additionally, having the data available on a monthly basis will
provide a useful comparison to the electric power revenue already
collected on Form EIA-176, as comparing monthly to annual revenue data
for the other end-use sectors frequently reveals discrepancies between
the two series.
EIA also proposes to collect customer counts, i.e., number of
customers, for each of the end-use sectors for gas sold and transported
to residential, commercial, industrial, electric power and other
customers. Having this data will enable EIA to better monitor
fluctuations in monthly volume reporting which are commonly the result
of changes to the number of customers being served.
Form EIA-895, ``Monthly and Annual Quantity and Value of Natural Gas
Production Report''
EIA proposes the continuation of EIA-895, ``Annual Quantity and
Volume of Natural Gas Production Report'' in its present form with the
addition of natural gas production gross withdrawals data from
``Shale'' sources. Natural gas produced from this source has increased
in recent years and is expected to rise in the future; therefore, EIA
finds it necessary to accurately capture this source of natural gas
production.
EIA has discontinued Form EIA-895M, ``Monthly Quantity and Volume
of Natural Gas Production Report'' as the EIA-914, ``Monthly Natural
Gas Production Report'' became the new source of monthly natural gas
production data in January 2007.
Form EIA-910, ``Monthly Natural Gas Marketer Survey''
EIA proposes three changes to Form EIA-910:
A. EIA proposes that respondents report customer count, volume, and
revenue data for each local distribution company's territory in which
the respondent operates instead of at the State level, as currently
reported. Having such information would enable EIA to more closely
compare marketer volumes against volumes transported on the account of
marketers on Form EIA-857, ``Monthly Report of Natural Gas Purchases
and Deliveries to Consumers,'' and resolve discrepancies between the
two sources.
B. In states where EIA collects data from natural gas marketers on
Form EIA-910, natural gas marketers sell significant amounts of natural
gas to residential and commercial end users. The data collected have
shown that the prices from the sales by natural gas marketers have
differed from prices of natural gas sold by local distribution
companies, in many cases by more than ten percent. Therefore, EIA has
determined that states should be considered for collection on the Form
EIA-910 that meet one of the following criteria: (1) More than 40
percent of natural gas in a particular state in the residential and/or
commercial sector is sold by natural gas marketers, or (2) the amount
of natural gas sold by marketers in a state and sector comprises at
least 2 percent of natural gas sales in the residential or commercial
sector at the U.S. level. Based on these criteria, the states of
Alaska, California, Maine, Oklahoma, and Wyoming are proposed for
collection on Form EIA-910 while the states of Massachusetts and
Michigan are proposed to be removed from the Form EIA-910 survey frame.
Currently none of the proposed states for inclusion on Form EIA-910
have market penetration of natural gas marketers at significant levels
in the residential sector. However, EIA also proposes to collect data
from natural gas marketers serving residential customers, if any, in
those states in order to monitor the market and provide data for EIA's
annual update of the status of residential choice in the natural gas
market. EIA proposes that the collection of forms from Alaska,
California, Maine, Oklahoma, and/or Wyoming begin in July 2009, and
that Massachusetts and Michigan no longer be collected beginning in
January 2009.
C. EIA proposes that natural gas volume data on Form EIA-910,
``Natural Gas Marketer Report,'' be collected only in Mcf (thousand
cubic feet) rather than Btu (heat content) or Mcf.
Form EIA-757, ``Natural Gas Processing Plant Survey''
EIA proposes adding this new approved form as part of the EIA
natural gas collection so that it will be on the same clearance cycle
with all EIA natural gas survey forms. No changes are proposed to the
Form EIA-757.
III. Request for Comments
Prospective respondents and other interested parties should comment
on the actions discussed in items II and III. The following guidelines
are provided to assist in the preparation of comments. Please indicate
to which forms your comments apply.
General Issues
A. Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the
proper performance of the functions of the agency and does the
information have practical utility? Practical utility is defined as the
actual usefulness of information to or for an agency, taking into
account its accuracy, adequacy, reliability, timeliness, and the
agency's ability to process the information it collects.
B. What enhancements can be made to the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be collected?
As a Potential Respondent to the Request for Information
A. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information to be
collected?
B. Are the instructions and definitions clear and sufficient? If
not, which instructions need clarification?
[[Page 17966]]
C. Can the information be submitted by the due date?
D. Public reporting burden for the surveys included in the Natural
Gas Data Collection Program Package is shown below as an average
hour(s) per response. The estimated burden includes the total time
necessary to provide the requested information. In your opinion, how
accurate are these estimates for the proposed forms?
(1) Form EIA-176, ``Annual Report of Natural and Supplemental Gas
Supply and Disposition,'' 12 hours per response.
(2) Form EIA-191A, ``Annual Underground Gas Storage Report,'' 1
hour per response.
(3) Form EIA-191M, ``Monthly Underground Gas Storage Report,'' 2.5
hours per response.
(4) Form EIA-857, ``Monthly Report of Natural Gas Purchases and
Deliveries to Consumers,'' 3.5 hours per response.
(5) Form EIA-895, ``Annual Quantity and Value of Natural Gas
Production Report,'' .5 hours per response.
(6) Form EIA-910, ``Monthly Natural Gas Marketer Survey,'' 2 hours
per response.
(7) Form EIA-912, ``Weekly Underground Natural Gas Storage
Report,'' 0.5 hours per response.
(8) Form EIA-757, ``Natural Gas Processing Plant Survey,'' Schedule
A, 0.5 hours per response; Schedule B, 1.5 hours per response.
E. The agency estimates that the only cost to a respondent is for
the time it will take to complete the collection. Will a respondent
incur any start-up costs for reporting, or any recurring annual costs
for operation, maintenance, and purchase of services associated with
the information collection?
F. What additional actions could be taken to minimize the burden of
this collection of information? Such actions may involve the use of
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
G. Does any other Federal, State, or local agency collect similar
information? If so, specify the agency, the data element(s), and the
methods of collection.
As a Potential User of the Information To Be Collected
A. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information
disseminated?
B. Is the information useful at the levels of detail to be
collected?
C. For what purpose(s) would the information be used? Be specific.
D. Are there alternate sources for the information and are they
useful? If so, what are their weaknesses and/or strengths?
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the form. They also
will become a matter of public record.
Statutory Authority: Section 3507(h)(1) of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35.),
Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. No. 93-275, 15
U.S.C. 761 et seq.), and the DOE Organization Act (Pub. L. No. 95-
91, 42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.).
Issued in Washington, DC, March 27, 2008.
Jay Casselberry,
Agency Clearance Officer, Energy Information Administration.
[FR Doc. E8-6801 Filed 4-1-08; 8:45 am]
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