[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 93 (Friday, May 13, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28058-28060]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-11837]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement
[Docket ID No. BOEM-2011-0020]
BOEMRE Information Collection Activity: 1010-0068, Unitization,
Extension of a Collection; Comment Request
AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement
(BOEMRE), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of extension of an information collection (1010-0068).
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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA),
BOEMRE 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 that are related to
unitization activities on the OCS.
DATES: Submit written comments by July 12, 2011.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Blundon, Regulations and
Standards Branch at (703) 787-1607.
[[Page 28059]]
You may also contact Cheryl Blundon to obtain a copy, at no cost, of
the regulations that require 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 BOEM-2011-0020 then click
search. Follow the instructions to submit public comments and view
supporting and related materials available for this collection. BOEMRE
will post all comments.
E-mail: cheryl.blundon@boemre.gov. Mail or hand-carry
comments to the Department of the Interior; Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, Regulation and Enforcement, Attention: Cheryl Blundon, 381
Elden Street, MS-4024, Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817. Please reference
ICR 1010-0068 in your comment and include your name and return address.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: 30 CFR Part 250, Subpart M, Unitization.
OMB Control Number: 1010-0068.
Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act, as amended
(43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq. and 43 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), authorizes the
Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to prescribe rules and
regulations to administer leasing of the OCS. Such rules and
regulations will apply to all operations conducted under a lease.
Section 1334(a) specifies that the Secretary ``provide for the
prevention of waste and conservation of the natural resources of the
[O]uter Continental Shelf, and the protection of correlative rights
therein'' and include provisions for ``unitization, pooling, and
drilling agreements.''
The Independent Offices Appropriations Act (31 U.S.C. 9701), the
Omnibus Appropriations Bill (Pub. L. 104-133, 110 Stat. 1321, April 26,
1996), and OMB Circular A-25, authorize Federal agencies to recover the
full cost of services that confer special benefits. Unitization
requests for approval are subject to cost recovery, and BOEMRE
regulations specify service fees for these requests.
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 or are required to obtain or retain
a benefit. BOEMRE uses the information to determine whether to approve
a proposal to enter into an agreement to unitize operations under two
or more leases or to approve modifications when circumstances change.
The information is necessary to ensure that operations will result in
preventing waste, conserving natural resources, and protecting
correlative rights, including the Government's interests. We also use
information submitted to determine competitiveness of a reservoir or to
decide that compelling unitization will achieve these results.
Frequency: On occasion.
Description of Respondents: Potential respondent include Federal
OCS oil and gas or sulphur lessees.
Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: The currently
approved annual reporting burden for this collection is 4,913 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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Hour burden
Citation 30 CFR Reporting ----------------------------------
250 subpart M requirement Non-hour cost burden
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1301.............. Description of 0
requirements.
Burden included
in the following
sections.
1301(d), (f)(3), Request Burden covered under 1010-0114.
(g)(1), suspension of
(g)(2),(ii). production or
operations.
1302(b)........... Request 39
preliminary
determination on
competitive
reservoir.
1302(b)........... Submit 39
concurrence or
objection on
competitiveness
with supporting
evidence.
1302(c), (d)...... Submit joint plan 39
of operations,
supplemental
plans, or a
separate plan if
agreement cannot
be reached.
1303.............. Apply for 169**
voluntary $11,698 fee
unitization,
including
submitting unit
agreement or
revision, 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.
1304(b)........... Request 161
compulsory
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.
1303; 1304........ *Submit revisions 8
or modifications $831 fee
to unit
agreement, unit
operating
agreement, plan
of operation,
change of unit
operator, etc.
1303; 1304........ *Submit initial, 48
and revisions
to,
participating
area.
1304(d)........... Request hearing 1
on required
unitization.
1304(e)........... Submit statement 5
at hearing on
compulsory
unitization.
1304(e)........... Pay for and 1
submit three $500 fee.
copies of
verbatim
transcript of
hearing.
1304(f)........... Appeal final Exempt under 5 CFR 1320(a)(2),
order of (c)
compulsory
unitization.
1300-1304......... General departure 1
and alternative
compliance
requests not
specifically
covered
elsewhere in
subpart M
regulations.
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* These requirements are specified in each Unit Agreement.
** Due to ongoing litigation in the Pacific Region, respondents did not
submit burden data.
Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden: We have
identified three non-hour cost burdens for this collection. Section
1303 requires fees for a voluntary unitization or unit expansion
($11,698) and a fee for
[[Page 28060]]
a unitization revision ($831). Respondents are also required to pay for
court reporter and transcripts Sec. 250.1304(d), if seeking compulsory
unitization ($500). We have not identified any other 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: 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)
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, 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.
BOEMRE Information Collection Clearance Officer: Arlene Bajusz
(703) 787-1025.
Dated: May 4, 2011.
Doug Slitor,
Acting Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. 2011-11837 Filed 5-12-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P