[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 69 (Friday, April 10, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19352-19354]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-08265]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement

[Docket ID BSEE-2015-0004; OMB Control Number 1014-0008; 15XE1700DX 
EEEE500000 EX1SF0000.DAQ000]


Information Collection Activities: Well Control and Production 
Safety Training; Proposed Collection; Comment Request

ACTION: 60-day notice.

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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), BSEE 
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 a renewal to the 
paperwork requirements in the regulations under Subpart O, Well Control 
and Production Safety Training.

DATES: You must submit comments by June 9, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods 
listed below.
     Electronically go to http://www.regulations.gov. In the 
Search box, enter BSEE-2015-0004 then click search. Follow the 
instructions to submit public comments and view all related materials. 
We will post all comments.
     Email [email protected]. Mail or hand-carry comments 
to the Department of the Interior; Bureau of Safety and Environmental 
Enforcement; Regulations and Standards Branch; ATTN: Cheryl Blundon, 
45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, VA 20166. Please reference ICR 1014-0008 
in your comment and include your name and return address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Blundon, Regulations and 
Standards Branch at (703) 787-1607 to request additional information 
about this ICR.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: 30 CFR part 250, subpart O, Well Control and Production 
Safety Training.
    OMB Control Number: 1014-0008.
    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 to prescribe rules and regulations necessary 
for the administration of the leasing provisions of the Act related to 
mineral resources on the OCS. Such rules and regulations will apply to 
all operations conducted under a lease, pipeline right-of-way, or a 
right-of-use and easement. Operations on the OCS must preserve, 
protect, and develop oil and natural gas resources 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; to balance orderly energy 
resource development with protection of human, marine, and coastal 
environments; to ensure the public a fair and equitable return on the 
resources of the OCS; and to preserve and maintain free enterprise 
competition.
    In addition to the general rulemaking authority of the OCSLA at 43 
U.S.C. 1334, section 301(a) of the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty 
Management Act (FOGRMA), 30 U.S.C. 1751(a), grants authority to the 
Secretary to prescribe such rules and regulations as are reasonably 
necessary to carry out FOGRMA's provisions. While the majority of 
FOGRMA is directed to royalty collection and enforcement, some 
provisions apply to offshore operations. For example, section 108 of 
FOGRMA, 30 U.S.C. 1718, grants the Secretary broad authority to inspect 
lease sites for the purpose of determining whether there is compliance 
with the mineral leasing laws. Section 109(c)(2) and (d)(1), 30 U.S.C. 
1719(c)(2) and (d)(1), impose substantial civil penalties for failure 
to permit lawful inspections and for knowing or willful preparation or 
submission of false, inaccurate, or misleading reports, records, or 
other information. Because the Secretary has

[[Page 19353]]

delegated some of the authority under FOGRMA to BSEE, 30 U.S.C. 1751 is 
included as additional authority for these requirements.
    Section 1332(6) of the OCS Lands Act requires that ``operations in 
the [O]uter Continental Shelf should be conducted in a safe manner by 
well trained personnel using technology, precautions, and other 
techniques sufficient to prevent or minimize the likelihood of 
blowouts, loss of well control, fires, spillages, physical obstructions 
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.''
    For your information, because of the regulatory requirements in 30 
CFR 250, Subpart S (SEMS), 30 CFR 250, Subpart O, audits ceased. The 
training audits fall under the requirements defined in Sec.  250.1915. 
However, BSEE keeps Subpart O documents and regulations active because 
the Subpart O regulatory requirements give BSEE the authority and 
ability to test employees on the effectiveness of their own training 
program.
    Regulations implementing these responsibilities are among those 
delegated to BSEE. The regulations under 30 CFR 250, Subpart O, pertain 
to well control and production safety training and pertain to training 
requirements for certain personnel working on the OCS and is the 
subject of this collection. This request also covers the related 
Notices to Lessees and Operators (NTLs) that BSEE issues to clarify, 
supplement, or provide additional guidance on some aspects of our 
regulations.
    We will use the information collected under Subpart O regulations 
to ensure that workers in the OCS are properly trained with the 
necessary skills to perform their jobs in a safe and pollution-free 
manner.
    In some instances, we may conduct oral interviews of offshore 
employees to evaluate the effectiveness of a company's training 
program. The oral interviews are used to gauge how effectively the 
companies are implementing their own training program.
    No questions of a sensitive nature are asked. We protect 
proprietary information according to the Freedom of Information Act (5 
U.S.C. 552) and DOI's implementing regulations (43 CFR 2); and under 
regulations at 30 CFR 250.197, Data and information to be made 
available to the public or for limited inspection, and 30 CFR part 252, 
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Information Program. 
Responses are mandatory or are required to obtain or retain benefits.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Description of Respondents: Potential respondents comprise Federal 
oil, gas, or sulphur lessees and/or operators.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: The currently 
approved annual reporting burden for this collection is 2,919 hours. In 
this submission, we are requesting a total of 202 burden 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.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 Average number
  Citation 30 CFR 250 Subpart O          Reporting and           Hour burden        of annual      Annual burden
                                   recordkeeping requirement                        responses          hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1503(a), (c)....................  Develop training plans.                  120                 1             120
                                   Note: Existing lessees/
                                   respondents already have
                                   training plans developed.
                                   This number reflects
                                   development of plans for
                                   any new lessees.
1503(d)(1)......................  Upon request, provide BSEE                16                 1              16
                                   with copies of training
                                   documentation for
                                   personnel involved in
                                   well control, deepwater
                                   well control, or
                                   production safety
                                   operations within the
                                   past 5 years.
1503(d)(2)......................  Upon request, provide BSEE                16                 1              16
                                   with a copy of your
                                   training plan.
1507(b).........................  Employee oral interview                    2                 1               2
                                   conducted by BSEE.
                                                             ---------------------------------------------------
1507(c), (d); 1508; 1509........  Written testing conducted       Not considered information                   0
                                   by BSEE or authorized            collection under 5 CFR
                                   representative.                       1320.3(h)(7).
                                                             ---------------------------------------------------
1510(b).........................  Revise training plan and                  40                 1              40
                                   submit to BSEE.
250.1500-1510...................  General departure or                       8                 1               8
                                   alternative compliance
                                   requests not specifically
                                   covered elsewhere in
                                   subpart O.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total Hour Burden.........................................................                 1             202
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 
collection is necessary or useful; (b) evaluate the accuracy 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 
technology.
    Agencies must also estimate the non-hour paperwork cost burdens to 
respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of 
information. Therefore, if you have other than hour burden 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. For further 
information on this burden, refer to 5 CFR 1320.3(b)(1) and (2), or 
contact the Bureau representative listed previously in this notice.
    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

[[Page 19354]]

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.

    Dated: April 7, 2015.
Douglas W. Morris,
Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. 2015-08265 Filed 4-9-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-VH-P