[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 69 (Monday, April 12, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18545-18547]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-8195]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Minerals Management Service
[Docket No. MMS-2010-OMM-0018]
MMS Information Collection Activity: 1010-0067, Oil and Gas Well-
Completion Operations, Extension of a Collection; Comment Request
AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of extension of an information collection (1010-0067).
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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), MMS
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 the paperwork
requirements in the regulations under 30 CFR 250, Subpart E, ``Oil and
Gas Well-Completion Operations.''
DATES: Submit written comments by June 11, 2010.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Blundon, Regulations and
Standards Branch at (703) 787-1607. You may also contact Cheryl Blundon
to obtain a copy, at no cost, of the regulation that requires the
subject collection of information.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods
listed below.
Electronically: go to http://www.regulations.gov. In the
entry titled ``Enter Keyword or ID,'' enter docket ID MMS-2010-OMM-0018
then click search. Follow the instructions to submit public comments
and view supporting and related materials available for this
collection. The MMS will post all comments.
Mail or hand-carry comments to the Department of the
Interior; Minerals Management Service; Attention: Cheryl Blundon; 381
Elden Street, MS-4024; Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817. Please reference
ICR 1010-0067 in your comment and include your name and return address.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: 30 CFR part 250, subpart E, Oil and Gas Well-Completion
Operations.
OMB Control Number: 1010-0067.
Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act, 43 U.S.C.
1331 et seq., and 43 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. requires the Secretary of the
Interior to 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;
balance orderly energy resources development with protection of the
human, marine, and coastal environment; ensure the public a fair and
equitable return on OCS resources; and preserve and maintain free
enterprise competition. Section 1332(6) of the OCS Lands Act (43 U.S.C.
1332) requires that ``operations in the [O]uter Continental Shelf
should be conducted in a safe manner by well-trained personnel using
technology, precautions, and techniques sufficient to prevent or
minimize the likelihood of blowouts, loss of well control, fires,
spillages, physical obstruction 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.'' This
authority and responsibility are among those delegated to the Minerals
Management Service (MMS). To carry out these responsibilities, MMS
issues regulations governing oil and gas and sulphur operations in the
OCS. This ICR addresses 30 CFR part 250, subpart E, Oil and Gas Well-
Completion Operations and the associated supplementary Notices to
Lessees and Operators (NTL) intended to provide clarification,
description, or explanation of these regulations.
Regulations at 30 CFR part 250 implement these statutory
requirements. The MMS District Managers analyze and evaluate the
information and data collected under Subpart E to ensure that planned
well-completion operations will protect personnel safety 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, MMS 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
[[Page 18546]]
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; and (e) sustained casing pressures are within acceptable
limits.
We will protect information from respondents considered proprietary
under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and its
implementing regulations (43 CFR part 2) and under regulations at 30
CFR 250.197, ``Data and information to be made available to the public
or for limited inspection.'' No items of a sensitive nature are
collected. Responses are mandatory.
Frequency: On occasion, weekly, monthly, annually, and varies by
section.
Description of Respondents: Federal OCS oil, gas, or sulphur
lessees and operators.
Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The
currently approved annual reporting burden for this collection is
18,756 hours. 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.
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Citation 30 CFR 250 subpart E & LTL/
NTL Reporting requirement Hour burden
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Requests
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502.................................. Request approval not to shut-in well during 1
equipment movement.
512.................................. Request field well-completion rules be 1
established, amended or canceled (on occasion;
however, there have been no requests in many
years).
500-517.............................. General departure and alternative compliance 2
requests not specifically covered elsewhere in
Subpart E regulations.
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Submittals
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505; 513; 515(a)..................... Submit forms MMS-123, MMS-124, MMS-125 for 0
various approvals, including remediation
procedure for SCP [burden included in 1010-
0141].
514(c); 515(a)....................... Calculate well-control fluid volume and post 1
near operator's station; submit well-control
procedure.
517(b)............................... Pressure test, caliper, or otherwise evaluate 9
tubing & wellhead equipment casing; submit
results (every 30 days during prolonged
operations).
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Document/Record/Retain
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506.................................. Instruct crew members in safety requirements of 20 minutes
operations to be performed; document meeting
(weekly for 2 crews x 2 weeks per completion =
4).
511.................................. Perform operational check of traveling-block 30 minutes
safety device; document results (weekly x 2
weeks per completion = 2).
LTL*................................. Record diagnostic test results.................. 30 minutes
516 tests; 516(i),(j)................ Record BOP test results; retain records 2 years 30 minutes
following completion of well (when installed;
minimum every 7 days; as stated for component);
request alternative methods.
516(d)(5) test; 516(i)............... Function test annulars and rams; document 30 minutes
results (every 7 days between BOP tests--
biweekly; note: part of BOP test when
conducted).
516(e)............................... Record reason for postponing BOP system tests 10 minutes
(on occasion).
516(f)............................... Perform crew drills; record results (weekly for 30 minutes
2 crews x 2 weeks per completion = 4).
LTL.................................. Retain complete record of well's casing pressure 1
for 2 years and retain diagnostic test records
permanently.
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Notify
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502.................................. Notify MMS of well-completion rig movement on or 0
off platform or from well to well on same
platform (Form MMS-144) (cross ref. Sec.
250.403) [burden included in 1010-0150].
517(c); LTL/NTL...................... Notify MMS if sustained casing pressure is 1
observed on a well.
LTL/NTL.............................. Report failure of casing pressure to bleed to 6
zero including plan to remediate.
NTL.................................. Notify MMS when remediation procedure is 1
complete..
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*LTL dated 13 January 1994.
Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: We
have identified no non-hour cost burdens for this collection.
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
proposed collection of information is necessary for the agency to
perform its duties, including whether the information is useful; (b)
evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information; (c) enhance the quality,
usefulness, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d)
[[Page 18547]]
minimize the burden on the respondents, including the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
Agencies must also estimate the non-hour cost burdens to
respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of
information. Therefore, if you have 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. You should describe the methods you
use to estimate major cost factors, including system and technology
acquisition, expected useful life of capital equipment, discount
rate(s), and the period over which you incur costs. Capital and startup
costs include, among other items, computers and software you purchase
to prepare for collecting information, monitoring, and record storage
facilities. You should not include estimates for equipment or services
purchased: (i) Before October 1, 1995; (ii) to comply with requirements
not associated with the information collection; (iii) for reasons other
than to provide information or keep records for the Government; or (iv)
as part of customary and usual business or private practices.
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, e-mail 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.
MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Arlene Bajusz (202)
208-7744.
Dated: April 6, 2010.
William S. Hauser,
Acting Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. 2010-8195 Filed 4-9-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P