[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 208 (Thursday, October 28, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58095-58097]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-28234]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Minerals Management Service
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) Review; Comment Request
AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of extension of currently approved information
collection (1010-0059).
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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501, et seq.), we are notifying you that we have submitted the
information collection request (ICR) discussed below to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. We are also
inviting your comments on this ICR.
DATES: Submit written comments by November 29, 1999.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments directly to the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for
the Department of the Interior (1010-0059), 725 17th Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20503. Mail or handcarry 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexis London, Rules Processing Team,
telephone (703) 787-1600. You may also contact Alexis London to obtain
a copy of the collection of information at no cost.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: 30 CFR 250, Subpart H, Oil and Gas Production Safety
Systems.
OMB Control Number: 1010-0059.
Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act (43 U.S.C.
1331 et seq.) gives the Secretary of the Interior the responsibility to
preserve, protect, and develop oil and gas resources in the OCS
consistent with the need to make such resources available to meet the
Nation's energy needs as rapidly as possible; balance orderly energy
resource development with protection of human, marine, and coastal
environments; ensure the public a fair and equitable return on the
resources of the OCS; and preserve and maintain free enterprise
competition. To carry out these responsibilities, we established
regulations at 30 CFR 250, subpart H, Oil and Gas Production Safety
Systems. In addition, we also issue Notices to Lessees and Operators
(NTL) to clarify and provide additional guidance on some aspects of the
regulations.
We collect information under subpart H of the regulations to
evaluate equipment and/or procedures that lessees propose to use during
production operations. Information is also used to verify the no-flow
condition of wells to continue the waiver of requirements to install
valves capable of preventing backflow. The MMS inspectors review the
records maintained to verify compliance with testing and minimum safety
requirements. In the Pacific OCS Region, respondents submit Emergency
Action Plans (EAP) to their local air quality agencies in response to
California air quality laws to protect public health during exceptional
air pollution episodes. We review these plans prior to the event of an
air pollution episode to ensure that abatement measures do not
jeopardize safe platform operations.
If we did not collect the information, we could not carry out the
mandate of the OCS Lands Act to ensure safe operations in the OCS.
Specifically, MMS could not review safety system designs prior to
installation to ensure that minimum safety standards will be met;
review records of erosion control to ensure that erosion control
programs are effective; review plans for simultaneous operations to
ensure safety of operations when more than one activity is being
conducted simultaneously on a production facility; review records of
safety devices to ensure proper maintenance during the useful life of
that equipment; and verify proper performance of safety and pollution
prevention equipment (SPPE).
We will protect proprietary information submitted with the plans
according to the Freedom of Information Act and 30 CFR 250.118, ``Data
and information to be made available to the
[[Page 58096]]
public.'' No items of a sensitive nature are collected. Responses are
mandatory or required to obtain or retain a benefit.
The PRA provides that an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a
person is not required to respond to, a collection of information
unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. We published a
Federal Register notice with the required 60-day comment period
soliciting comments on this ICR on August 12, 1999 (64 FR 44044).
Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130
Federal OCS sulphur or oil and gas lessees.
Frequency: The frequency of reporting is on occasion and annual.
Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: 5,204
burden hours, averaging approximately 40 hours per respondent. See
following chart.
Burden Breakdown
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Reporting and Annual
Citation 30 CFR 250 subpart H recordkeeping Annual number Burden burden
requirement hours
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800; 801(a), (d), (e)(1), Application and 176 Submissions............... 4 hours........ 704
(f), (g), (h)(3); 802(e); approvals for
803(b)(1)(iii), (2)(ii)(A), design,
(4)(ii), (7)(iii),(8). installation, and
operation of
subsurface safety
devices and surface
production-safety
systems and related
requirements.
800; 804(a)(11).............. Notify MMS prior to 152 Notices................... .5 hour........ 76
production when
ready to conduct
pre-production test
and inspection.
801(g)....................... Submit annual 35 Verifications.............. 2 hours........ 70
verification of no-
flow condition of
well.
801(h)(1).................... Form MMS-124, Sundry Burden covered under 1010-0045 for this form. 0
Notices and Reports
on Wells.
801(h)(2); 803(c)............ Identify well with Usual/customary safety procedures for removing 0
sign on wellhead or identifying out-of-service safety devices.
that subsurface
safety device is
removed; flag
safety devices that
are out of service.
802.......................... Submit statement 150 Statements................ 3 hours........ 450
verifying final
surface production
safety system
installed conforms
to approved design.
803(b)(8)(iv)................ Post diagram of 75 Postings................... 2 hours........ 150
firefighting system.
804; related NTL............. Submit copy of state- 8 Plans....................... 1 hour......... 8
required EAP
containing test
abatement plans in
the Pacific OCS
Region.
806(c)....................... Request evaluation 1 Request..................... 2 hours........ 2
and approval of
other quality
assurance programs
covering
manufacture of SPPE.
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Reporting--Subtotal...... .................... 597........................... ............... 1,460
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801(h)(2); 802(e); 804(b).... Maintain records on 130 Recordkeepers............. 12 hours....... 1,560
subsurface and
surface safety
devices to include
approved design &
installation
features, testing,
repair, removal,
etc.
803(b)(1)(iii), (2)(i)....... Maintain pressure- 130 Recordkeepers............. 10 hours....... 1,300
recorder charts.
803(b)(4)(iii)............... Maintain schematic 130 Recordkeepers............. 4 hours........ 520
of the emergency
shutdown which
indicates the
control functions
of all safety
devices.
803(b)(11)................... Maintain records of 130 Recordkeepers............. 2.8 hours...... 364
wells that have
erosion-control
programs and
results.
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Recordkeeping--Subtotal.. .................... 130........................... ............... 3,744
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Reporting & Recordkeeping .................... 727 ............... 5,204
Total Hour Burden.
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Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost''
Burden: We have identified no information collection cost burdens for
this collection of information.
Comments: All comments are made a part of the public record.
Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA 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.
Send your comments directly to the offices listed under the
addresses section of this notice. The 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 November 29, 1999.
[[Page 58097]]
MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach,
(202) 208-7744.
Dated: September 30, 1999.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 99-28234 Filed 10-27-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P