[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 167 (Monday, August 30, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52912-52914]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-19648]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Minerals Management Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Submitted for Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) Review; Comment Request
AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of revision and extension of an information collection
(1010-0043).
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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we
are notifying the public that we have submitted to OMB an information
collection request (ICR) to renew approval of the paperwork
[[Page 52913]]
requirements in the regulations under ``30 CFR 250, Subpart F, Oil and
Gas Well-Workover Operations.'' This notice also provides the public a
second opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of these
regulatory requirements.
DATES: Submit written comments by September 29, 2004.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments either by fax (202) 395-6566 or
email (OIRA--DOCKET@omb.eop.gov) directly to the Office of Information
and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for the Department
of the Interior (1010-0043). Mail or hand carry a copy of your comments
to the Department of the Interior; Minerals Management Service;
Attention: Rules Processing Team; Mail Stop 4024; 381 Elden Street;
Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817. If you wish to e-mail your comments to
MMS, the address is: rules.comments@mms.gov. Reference Information
Collection 1010-0043 in your subject line and mark your message for
return receipt. Include your name and return address in your message
text.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Arlene Bajusz, Rules Processing Team,
(703) 787-1600. You may also contact Arlene Bajusz to obtain a copy, at
no cost, of the regulations that require the subject collection of
information.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: 30 CFR 250, subpart F, Oil and Gas
Well-Workover Operations.
OMB Control Number: 1010-0043.
Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act (43 U.S.C.
1331 et seq.), as amended, requires the Secretary of the Interior
(Secretary) to preserve, protect, and develop sulphur resources on the
OCS; 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 environments; ensure the
public a fair and equitable return on the resources offshore; and
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 MMS under which we issue
regulations 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 request addresses the regulations
at 30 CFR 250, subpart F, Oil and Gas Well-Workover Operations and the
associated supplementary notices to lessees and operators intended to
provide clarification, description, or explanation of these
regulations.
MMS District Supervisors use the information collected to analyze
and evaluate planned well-workover operations to ensure that operations
result in personnel safety and protection of the environment. They use
this evaluation in making decisions to approve, disapprove, or to
require modification to the proposed well-workover operations. For
example, MMS uses the information to:
Review log entries of crew meetings to verify that safety
procedures have been properly reviewed.
Review well-workover procedures relating to hydrogen
sulfide (H2S) to ensure the safety of the crew in the event
of encountering H2S.
Review well-workover diagrams and procedures to ensure the
safety of well-workover operations.
Verify that the crown block safety device is operating and
can be expected to function and avoid accidents.
Verify that the proposed operation of the annular
preventer is technically correct and will provide adequate protection
for personnel, property, and natural resources.
Verify the reasons for postponing blowout preventer (BOP)
tests, verify the state of readiness of the equipment and to ascertain
that the equipment meets safety standards and requirements, ensure that
BOP tests have been conducted in the manner and frequency to promote
personnel safety and protect natural resources. Specific testing
information must be recorded to verify that the proper test procedures
were followed.
Assure that the well-workover operations are conducted on
well casing that is structurally competent.
Responses are mandatory. No questions of a ``sensitive'' nature are
asked. MMS will protect proprietary information according to 30 CFR
250.196 (Data and information to be made available to the public) and
30 CFR part 252 (OCS Oil and Gas Information Program).
Frequency: The frequency varies by section, but is primarily
monthly or on occasion.
Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130
Federal OCS oil and gas or sulphur lessees and operators.
Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The
estimated annual ``hour'' burden for this information collection is a
total of 19,459 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.
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Annual
Citation 30 CFR 250 subpart F Reporting or recordkeeping Hour Average No. annual burden
requirement burden responses hours
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602............................... Request exceptions prior to moving 1 372 request......... 372
well-workover equipment.
602............................... Notify MMS of any rig movement Burden included in 1010-0150. 0
within Gulf of Mexico (form MMS-
144)..
605; 613; 615(a).................. Request approval to begin subsea Burden included in 1010-0045 0
well-workover operations; submit and 1010-0046
forms MMS-124 and MMS-125.
612............................... Request establishment/amendment/ 6 2................... 12
cancellation of field well-workover
rules.
614............................... Post number of stands of drill pipe 0.25 1,210 postings...... 303
or workover string and drill
collars that may be pulled prior to
filling the hole and equivalent
well-control fluid volume.
616(a)............................ Request exception to rated working 2 121 requests........ 242
pressure of the BOP equipment;
request exception to annular-type
BOP testing.
[[Page 52914]]
617(b)............................ Pressure test, caliper, or otherwise 6 61 reports.......... 366
evaluate tubing & wellhead
equipment casing; submit results
(every 30 days during prolonged
operations).
617(c)............................ Notify MMS if sustained casing 0.5 830 notifications... 415
pressure is observed on a well.
600-618........................... General departure and alternative 2 25 requests......... 50
compliance requests not
specifically covered elsewhere in
subpart F regulations.
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Subtotal--Reporting................ ....... 2,621............... 1,760
==========
606............................... Instruct crew members in safety 1 780 workovers x 4 = 3,120
requirments of operations to be 3,120.
performed; document meeting (weekly
for 2 crews x2 weeks per workover =
4).
611............................... Perform operational check of 1 665 workovers x 2 = 1,330.
traveling-block safety device; 1,330.
document results (weekly x 2 weeks
per workover = 2).
616(a), (b), (d), (e)............. Perform BOP pressure tests, 7 665 workovers x 2 = 9,310
actuations, inspections & 1,330.
certifications; record results;
retain records 2 years following
completion of workover activities
(when installed; at a minimum every
7 days x 2 weeks per workover = 2).
616(b)(2)......................... Test blind or blind-shear rams; 1 780 workovers....... 780
document workovers results (every
30 days during operations). (Note:
this is part of BOP test when BOP
test is conducted.).
616(b)(2)......................... Record reason for postponing BOP 0.5 78 postponed tests.. 39
system tests.
616(c)............................ Perform crew drills; record results 1 780 workovers x 4 = 3,120
(weekly for 2 crews x 2 weeks per 3,120.
workover = 4).
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Subtotal--Recordkeeping............ ....... 9,758............... 17,699
==========
Total Hour Burden.................. ....... 12,379.............. 19,459
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Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: We
have identified no ``non-hour cost'' burdens.
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
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)
minimize the burden on the respondents, including the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
To comply with the public consultation process, on December 24,
2003, we published a Federal Register notice (68 FR 74645) announcing
that we would submit this ICR to OMB for approval. The notice provided
the required 60-day comment period. In addition, 250.199 provides the
OMB control number for the information collection requirements imposed
by the 30 CFR 250 regulations and forms. The regulation also informs
the public that they may comment at any time on the collections of
information and provides the address to which they should send
comments. We have received no comments in response to these efforts.
If you wish to comment in response to this notice, you may send
your comments to the offices listed under the ADDRESSES section of this
notice. OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the information
collection but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, to ensure maximum
consideration, OMB should receive public comments by September 29,
2004.
Public Comment Policy: MMS's practice is to make comments,
including names and addresses of respondents, available for public
review during regular business hours. If you wish your name and/or
address to be withheld, you must state this prominently at the
beginning of your comment. MMS will honor the request to the extent
allowable by the law; however, anonymous comments will not be
considered. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from
individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of
organizations or businesses, will be made available for public
inspection in their entirety.
MMS Federal Register Liaison Officer: Denise Johnson (202) 208-
3976.
Dated: May 11, 2004.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 04-19648 Filed 8-27-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P