Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 187 / Wednesday, September 26, 2012 / Notices 59209 

Number of 

respondents 

Annual 

responses × Hours per response Burden hours 

Reporting Burden ..................................................................................... 3,144 53.274 12.650 2,118,814 

Total Estimated Burden Hours: 

2,118,814. 

Status: Reinstatement with change of 

a previously approved collection. 

Authority: Section 3507 of the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 35, as 

amended. 

Dated: September 19, 2012. 

Colette Pollard, 

Department Reports Management Officer, 

Office of the Chief Information Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2012–23696 Filed 9–25–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4210–67–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Safety and Environmental 

Enforcement 

[Docket ID BSEE–2012–0015; OMB Control 

Number 1014–0019] 

Information Collection Activities: Oil 

and Gas Production Requirements; 

Proposed Collection; Comment 

Request 

ACTION: 60-day Notice. 

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 revision to the paperwork 

requirements in the regulations under 

Subpart K, Oil and Gas Production 

Requirements. 

DATE: You must submit comments by 

November 26, 2012. 

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 BSEE–2012– 

0015 then click search. Follow the 

instructions to submit public comments 

and view all related materials. We will 

post all comments. 

• Email cheryl.blundon@bsee.gov. 

Mail or hand-carry comments to the 

Department of the Interior; Bureau of 

Safety and Environmental Enforcement; 

Regulations and Standards Branch; 

Attention: Cheryl Blundon; 381 Elden 

Street, HE3313; Herndon, Virginia 

20170–4817. Please reference ICR 1014– 

0019 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 K, Oil and Gas 

Production Requirements. 

OMB Control Number: 1014–0019. 

Form(s): BSEE–0126 and BSEE–0128. 

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 to 

administer leasing of mineral resources 

on the OCS. Such rules and regulations 

will apply to all operations conducted 

under a lease, right-of-way, or a right-ofuse 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. 

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.’’ 

Section 1334(g)(2) states ‘‘* * * the 

lessee shall produce such oil or gas, or 

both, at rates * * * to assure the 

maximum rate of production which may 

be sustained without loss of ultimate 

recovery of oil or gas, or both, under 

sound engineering and economic 

principles, and which is safe for the 

duration of the activity covered by the 

approved plan.’’ 

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. Under the Department 

of the Interior’s implementing policy, 

the Bureau of Safety and Environmental 

Enforcement (BSEE) is required to 

charge the full cost for services that 

provide special benefits or privileges to 

an identifiable non-Federal recipient 

above and beyond those that accrue to 

the public at large. Several requests for 

approval required in Subpart K are 

subject to cost recovery, and BSEE 

regulations specify service fees for these 

requests. 

This ICR addresses our current 

regulations governing oil and gas 

production at 30 CFR Part 250, Subpart 

K, associated forms, and related Notices 

to Lessees (NTLs) and Operators. The 

BSEE issued several NTLs to clarify and 

provide additional guidance on some 

aspects of the current Subpart K 

regulations. This collection of 

information will renew the approved 

information collection for the current 

Subpart K regulations (1014–0019). 

Regulations at 30 CFR Part 250, 

Subpart K, implement these statutory 

requirements. We use the information in 

our efforts to conserve natural resources, 

prevent waste, and protect correlative 

rights, including the Government’s 

royalty interest. Specifically, BSEE uses 

the information to: 

• Evaluate requests to burn liquid 

hydrocarbons and vent and flare gas to 

ensure that these requests are 

appropriate; 

• Determine if a maximum 

production or efficient rate is required; 

and, 

• Review applications for downhole 

commingling to ensure that action does 

not result in harm to ultimate recovery. 

However, in this ICR, we have also 

clarified some sections of Form BSEE– 

0126. These clarifications pose minor 

edits and they are as follows: 

In Block No. 88, TYPE OF REQUEST, 

we added the word ‘‘Reestablish’’; in 

Block No. 108, we revised the block that 

read ‘‘API @ 60° F’’ to now read as ‘‘API 

@ 14.73 PSI & 60° F’’ and in Block No. 

109, we revised the block from ‘‘SP GR 

GAS’’ to now read as ‘‘SP GR GAS @ 

14.73 PSI & 60°F’’. 

We use the information in Form 

BSEE–0126, Well Potential Test Report, 

for reservoir, reserves, and conservation 

analyses, including the determination of 

maximum production rates (MPRs) 

when necessary for certain oil and gas 

completions. The information obtained 

from the well potential test is essential 

to determine if an MPR is necessary for 

a well and to establish the appropriate 

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59210 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 187 / Wednesday, September 26, 2012 / Notices 

rate. The information in Form BSEE– 

0128, Semiannual Well Test Report, is 

used to evaluate the results of well tests 

to determine if reservoirs are being 

depleted in a manner that will lead to 

the greatest ultimate recovery of 

hydrocarbons. This information is 

collected to determine the capability of 

hydrocarbon wells and to evaluate and 

verify an operator’s approved maximum 

production rate if assigned. 

We protect proprietary information 

according to the Freedom of Information 

Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and its implementing 

regulations (43 CFR 2), and 30 CFR 

250.197, Data and information to be 

made available to the public or for 

limited inspection, 30 CFR part 252, 

OCS Oil and Gas Information Program. 

Proprietary information concerning 

geological and geophysical data will be 

protected according to 43 U.S.C. 1352. 

Responses are mandatory or are 

required to obtain or retain a benefit. 

Frequency: On occasion, monthly, 

semi-annually, annually, and as a result 

of situations encountered depending 

upon the requirements. 

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 43,396 

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. 

30 CFR Part 250 Subpart K 

and related NTLs Reporting & recordkeeping requirement 

Hour burden 

Non-hour cost $ burden 

WELL TESTS/SURVEYS and CLASSIFYING RESERVOIRS 

1151(a)(1), (c); 1167 ........... Conduct well production test; submit Form BSEE–0126 (Well Potential Test Report) 

and supporting information within 15 days after end of test period.

3. 

1151(a)(2), (c); 1167 ........... Conduct well production test; submit Form BSEE–0128 (Semiannual Well Test Report) and supporting information within 45 days after end of calendar half-year.0.1 to 3.* 

1151(b) ................................ Request extension of time to submit results of semi-annual well test ......................... 0.5. 

1152(b), (c); ........................ Request approval to conduct well testing using alternative procedures ...................... 0.5. 

1152(d) ................................ Provide advance notice of time and date of well tests ................................................. 0.5. 

APPROVALS PRIOR TO PRODUCTION 

1156; 1167 .......................... Request approval to produce within 500 feet of a unit or lease line; submit supporting information/documentation; notify adjacent operators and provide BSEE 

proof of notice date.

5. 

$3,608 per request. 

1156(b); 1158(b) ................. Notify adjacent operators submit letters of acceptance or objection to BSEE within 

30 days after notice; include proof of notice date.

.5. 

1157; 1167 .......................... Request approval to produce gas-cap gas in an oil reservoir with an associated gas 

cap, or to continue producing an oil well showing characteristics of a gas well 

with an associated gas cap; submit producing an oil well showing characteristics 

of a gas well with an associated gas cap; submit supporting information.

12 

$4,592 per request. 

1158; 1167 .......................... Request approval to downhole commingle hydrocarbons; submit supporting information; notify operators and provide proof of notice date.6. 

$5,357 per request. 

FLARING, VENTING, and BURNING HYDROCARBONS 

1160; 1161; 1163(e) ........... Request approval to flare or vent natural gas or exceed specified time limits/volumes; submit evaluation/documentation; report flare/vent information due to blow 

down of transportation pipelines within 72 hours after incident.

0.5. 

1160(b); 1164(b)(1), (2) ...... H2S Contingency, Exploration, or Development and Production Plans and, Development Operations Coordination 

Documents—burdens covered under 1014–0018 and BOEM’s 1010–0151. Monitor air quality and report—burdens 

covered under BOEM’s 1010–0057. 

1162; 1163(e) ...................... Request approval to burn produced liquid hydrocarbons; demonstrate no risk and/or 

submit documentation re transport. If approval needed, submit documentation 

with relevant information re hydrocarbons burned under the approval.

0.5. 

1163 .................................... Initial purchase and installation of gas meters to measure the amount of gas flared 

or vented.

$77,000 per meter. 

1163(a)(1) ........................... Notify BSEE when facility begins to process more than an average of 2,000 bopd 

per month..

0.833 

1163(b); ............................... Report to ONRR hydrocarbons produced, including measured gas flared/vented and liquid hydrocarbon burned— 

burden covered under 1012–0004. 

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 187 / Wednesday, September 26, 2012 / Notices 59211 

30 CFR Part 250 Subpart K 

and related NTLs Reporting & recordkeeping requirement 

Hour burden 

Non-hour cost $ burden 

1163(a), (c), (d) ................... Maintain records for 6 years detailing gas flaring/venting, liquid hydrocarbon burning; 13. 

flare/vent meter recordings; make available for inspection or provide copies upon 

request.

.5. 

1164(c) ................................ Submit monthly reports of flared or vented gas containing H2S .................................. 2. 

OTHER REQUIREMENTS 

1165(b) ................................ Submit proposed plan and supporting information for enhanced recovery operations 12. 

1165(c) ................................ Submit periodic reports of volumes of oil, gas, or other substances injected, produced, or produced for a second 

time—burden covered under ONRR’s 1012–0004. 

1166 .................................... Alaska Region only: submit annual reservoir management report and supporting information: Required by State; New development not State; Annual revision.1. 

100. 

20. 

1150–1167 .......................... General departure or alternative compliance requests not specifically covered elsewhere in Subpart K.1. 

* Reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 0.1 to 3 hours per form depending on the number of well tests reported, including the 

time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and completing and reviewing the form. 

Estimated Reporting and 

Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden: 

We have identified four non-hour cost 

burdens for this collection. Section 

250.1157 requires a fee ($4,592) for a gas 

cap production request. Section 

250.1156 requires a fee ($3,608) to 

produce within 500 feet of a lease line 

request. Section 250.1158 requires a fee 

($5,357) for a downhole commingling 

request. Section 250.1163 requires 

purchase and installation of gas meters 

($77,000) to measure the amount of gas 

flared or vented for facilities that 

produce more than 2,000 bopd. 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 

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 nonhour 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 

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: September 18, 2012. 

Robert W. Middleton, 

Deputy Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory 

Programs. 

[FR Doc. 2012–23687 Filed 9–25–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–VH–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R8–FHC–2012–N194; 

FRES48010810420–L5–FY12] 

Marine Mammals; Incidental Take 

During Specified Activities; Proposed 

Incidental Harassment Authorization 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of receipt of application; 

request for comments. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (Service), have received 

an application from Pacific Gas and 

Electric Company (PG&E) for 

authorization under the Marine 

Mammal Protection Act of 1972 

(MMPA) to take small numbers of 

southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris 

nereis) by harassment, as those terms are 

defined in the statute and the Service 

implementing regulations, incidental to 

a marine geophysical survey. In 

accordance with provisions of the 

MMPA, we request comments on our 

proposed authorization for the applicant 

to incidentally take, by harassment, 

small numbers of southern sea otters for 

a period of 2.5 months beginning on 

October 15, 2012, and ending December 

31, 2012. We anticipate no take by 

injury or death and include none in this 

proposed authorization, which would 

be for ‘‘take by harassment’’ only. 

DATES: Comments and information must 

be received by October 26, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by any one of the following methods: 

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