[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 14 (Tuesday, January 23, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2901-2903]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-941]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of extension of an information collection (1010-0043).

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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), MMS 
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 under ``30 CFR 250, Subpart F, Oil and 
Gas Well-Workover Operations.''

DATES: Submit written comments by March 26, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods 
listed below. Please use the Information Collection Number 1010-0043 as 
an identifier in your message.
    <bullet> E-mail MMS at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7f0d0a131a0c511c1012121a110b0c3f12120c51181009"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f48681989187da979b9999919a8087b4999987da939b82">[email protected]</span></a>. Identify with 
Information Collection Number 1010-0043 in the subject line.
    <bullet> Fax: 703-787-1093. Identify with Information Collection 
Number 1010-0043.
    <bullet> Mail or hand-carry comments to the Department of the 
Interior; Minerals Management Service; Attention: Cheryl Blundon; 381 
Elden Street, MS-4024; Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817. Please reference 
``Information Collection 1010-0043'' in your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Blundon, Regulations and 
Standards Branch at (703) 787-1607. You may also contact Cheryl Blundon 
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, 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. 
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.'' These authorities and 
responsibilities are among those delegated to the Minerals Management 
Service (MMS) 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 (NTLs) 
intended to provide clarification, description, or explanation of these 
regulations.
    MMS District Managers 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:
    <bullet> Review log entries of crew meetings to verify that safety 
procedures have been properly reviewed.
    <bullet> Review well-workover procedures relating to hydrogen 
sulfide (H<INF>2</INF>S) to ensure the safety of the crew in the event 
of encountering H<INF>2</INF>S.
    <bullet> Review well-workover diagrams and procedures to ensure the 
safety of well-workover operations.
    <bullet> Verify that the crown block safety device is operating and 
can be expected to function and avoid accidents.
    <bullet> Verify that the proposed operation of the annular 
preventer is technically correct and will provide adequate protection 
for personnel, property, and natural resources.
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> Assure that the well-workover operations are conducted on 
well casing that is structurally competent.
    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.'' No items of a sensitive nature are collected. Responses are 
mandatory.
    Frequency: On occasion, weekly, monthly, varies by section.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130 
Federal OCS lessees and operators.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The 
currently approved annual reporting burden for this collection is 
19,459 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.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Reporting
       Citation 30 CFR 253            requirement         Hour burden
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602.............................  Request exceptions  1.
                                   prior to moving
                                   well-workover
                                   equipment..
602.............................  Notify MMS of any   Burden included in
                                   rig mvoement        1010-0150.
                                   within Gulf of
                                   Mexico (Form MMS-
                                   144).

[[Page 2902]]

 
605; 613; 615(a), (e)(4); 616(d)  Request approval    Burden included in
                                   to begin subsea     1010-0141.
                                   well-workover
                                   operations;
                                   submit Forms MMS-
                                   124 (include, if
                                   required,
                                   alternate
                                   procedures and
                                   equipment; stump
                                   test procedures
                                   plan) and MMS-125.
606.............................  Instruct crew       1.
                                   members in safety
                                   requirements of
                                   operations to be
                                   performed;
                                   document meeting
                                   (weekly for 2
                                   crews x 2 weeks
                                   per workover = 4).
611.............................  Perform             1.
                                   operational check
                                   of traveling-
                                   block safety
                                   device; document
                                   results (weekly x
                                   2 weeks per
                                   workover = 2).
612.............................  Request             6.
                                   establishment/
                                   amendment/
                                   cancellation of
                                   field well-
                                   workover rules.
614.............................  Post number of      0.25.
                                   stands of drill
                                   pipe 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   2.
                                   to rated working
                                   pressure of the
                                   BOP equipment;
                                   request exception
                                   to annular-type
                                   BOP testing.
616(a), (b), (f), (g)...........  Perform BOP         7.
                                   pressure tests,
                                   actuations,
                                   inspections &
                                   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       1.
                                   blind-shear rams;
                                   document results
                                   (every 30 days
                                   during
                                   operations).
                                   (Note: this is
                                   part of BOP test
                                   when BOP test is
                                   conducted.).
616(b)(2).......................  Record reason for   0.5.
                                   postponing BOP
                                   system tests.
616(c)..........................  Perform crew        1.
                                   drills; record
                                   results (weekly
                                   for 2 crews x 2
                                   weeks per
                                   workover = 4).
617(b)..........................  Pressure test,      6.
                                   caliper, or
                                   otherwise
                                   evaluate tubing &
                                   wellhead
                                   equipment casing;
                                   submit results
                                   (every 30 days
                                   during prolonged
                                   operations).
617(c)..........................  Notify MMS if       0.5.
                                   sustained casing
                                   pressure is
                                   observed on a
                                   well.
600-618.........................  General departure   2.
                                   and alternative
                                   compliance
                                   requests not
                                   specifically
                                   covered elsewhere
                                   in subpart F
                                   regulations.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 
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: MMS's practice is to make comments, 
including names and addresses of respondents, available for public 
review. 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 
this request to the extent allowable by law; however, anonymous 
comments will not be considered. There may be circumstances in which we 
would withhold from the record a respondent's identity, as allowable by 
the law. If you wish us to withhold your name and/or address, you must 
state this prominently at the beginning of your comment. In addition, 
you must present a rationale for withholding this information. This 
rationale must demonstrate that disclosure ``would constitute an 
unwarranted invasion of privacy.'' Unsupported assertions will not meet 
this burden. In the absence of exceptional, documentable circumstances, 
this information will be released. 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 Information Collection Clearance Officer: Arlene Bajusz (202) 
208-7744.


[[Page 2903]]


    Dated: January 11, 2007.
E.P. Danenberger,
 Chief Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
 [FR Doc. E7-941 Filed 1-22-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P


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