Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 146 / Friday, July 31, 2009 / Proposed Rules 38147 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 71 

Airspace, Incorporation by reference, 

Navigation (Air). 

The Proposed Amendment 

In consideration of the foregoing, the 

Federal Aviation Administration 

proposes to amend 14 CFR Part 71 as 

follows: 

PART 71—DESIGNATION OF CLASS A, 

B, C, D, AND E AIRSPACE AREAS; AIR 

TRAFFIC SERVICE ROUTES; AND 

REPORTING POINTS 

1. The authority citation for Part 71 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g); 40103, 40113, 

40120; E.O. 10854, 24 FR 9565, 3 CFR, 1959– 

1963 Comp., p. 389. 

§ 71.1 [Amended] 

2. The incorporation by reference in 

14 CFR 71.1 of Federal Aviation 

Administration Order 7400.9S, Airspace 

Designations and Reporting Points, 

dated October 3, 2008, and effective 

October 31, 2008, is amended as 

follows: 

Paragraph 6005 Class E Airspace areas 

extending upward from 700 feet or more 

above the surface of the earth. 

* * * * * 

ACE MO E5 St. Louis, MO [Amended] 

St. Louis, Lambert-St. Louis International 

Airport, MO 

(Lat. 38°44′55′′ N., long. 90°22′12′′ W.) 

St. Louis, Spirit of St. Louis Airport, MO 

(Lat. 38°39′44′′ N., long. 90°39′07′′ W.) 

Alton, St. Louis Regional Airport, MO 

(Lat. 38°53′25′′ N., long. 90°02′46′′ W.) 

St. Charles, St. Charles County Smartt 

Airport, MO 

(Lat. 38°55′47′′ N., long. 90°25′48′′ W.) 

St. Louis VORTAC 

(Lat. 38°51′38′′ N., long. 90°28′57′′ W.) 

Foristell VORTAC 

(Lat. 38°41′40′′ N., long. 90°58′16′′ W.) 

ZUMAY LOM 

(Lat. 38°47′17′′ N., long. 90°16′44′′ W.) 

OBLIO LOM 

(Lat. 38°48′01′′ N., long. 90°28′29′′ W.) 

Civic Memorial NDB 

(Lat. 38°53′32′′ N., long. 90°03′23′′ W.) 

That airspace extending upward from 700 

feet above the surface within a 7.1-mile 

radius of Lambert-St. Louis International 

Airport and within 4 miles southeast and 7 

miles northwest of the Lambert-St. Louis 

International Airport Runway 24 ILS 

localizer course extending from the airport to 

10.5 miles northeast of the ZUMAY LOM and 

within 4 miles southwest and 7.9 miles 

northeast of the Lambert-St. Louis 

International Airport Runway 12R ILS 

localizer course extending from the airport to 

10.5 miles northwest of the OBLIO LOM and 

within 4 miles southwest and 7.9 miles 

northeast of the Lambert-St. Louis 

International Airport Runway 30L ILS 

localizer course extending from the airport to 

8.7 miles southeast of the airport, and within 

a 6.8-mile radius of Spirit of St. Louis 

Airport, and within 3.9 miles each side of the 

258° bearing from Spirit of St. Louis Airport 

extending from the 6.8-mile radius of Spirit 

of St. Louis Airport to 10.6 miles west of the 

airport, and within 2.6 miles each side of the 

098° radial of the Foristell VORTAC 

extending from the 6.8-mile radius of Spirit 

of St. Louis Airport to 8.3 miles west of the 

airport, and within a 6.4-mile radius of St. 

Charles County Smartt Airport, and within a 

6.9-mile radius of St. Louis Regional Airport, 

and within 4 miles each side of the 014° 

bearing from the Civic Memorial NDB 

extending from the 6.9-mile radius of St. 

Louis Regional Airport to 7 miles north of the 

airport, and within 4.4 miles each side of the 

190° radial of the St. Louis VORTAC 

extending from 2 miles south of the VORTAC 

to 22.1 miles south of the VORTAC. 

* * * * * 

Issued in Fort Worth, TX, on July 23, 2009. 

Anthony D. Roetzel, 

Manager, Operations Support Group, ATO 

Central Service Center. 

[FR Doc. E9–18240 Filed 7–30–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Minerals Management Service 

30 CFR Part 250 

[Docket ID: MMS–2007–OMM–0068] 

RIN 1010–AD47 

Annular Casing Pressure Management 

for Offshore Wells 

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service 

(MMS), Interior. 

ACTION: Proposed rule. 

SUMMARY: This proposed rule would 

establish regulations to address 

sustained casing pressure in oil and gas 

wells completed on the Outer 

Continental Shelf. Sustained casing 

pressure is a problem that, if left 

untreated, could cause serious harm to 

human life or the environment. The 

proposed rule would establish criteria 

for monitoring and testing of wells with 

sustained casing pressure, and would 

also incorporate the American 

Petroleum Institute’s Recommended 

Practice for managing annular casing 

pressure. New regulations are needed 

because the current regulations do not 

adequately address requirements for 

wells that have sustained casing 

pressure. This rule would promote 

human safety and environmental 

protection, and require Outer 

Continental Shelf lessees to follow best 

industry practices for wells with 

sustained casing pressure. 

DATES: Submit comments by September 

29, 2009. The MMS may not fully 

consider comments received after this 

date. Submit comments to the Office of 

Management and Budget on the 

information collection burden in this 

proposed rule by August 31, 2009. This 

does not affect the deadline for the 

public to comment to MMS on the 

proposed regulations. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

on the rulemaking by any of the 

following methods. Please use the 

Regulation Identifier Number (RIN) 

1010–AD47 as an identifier in your 

message. See also Public Availability of 

Comments under Procedural Matters. 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Under the tab 

‘‘More Search Options,’’ click 

‘‘Advanced Docket Search,’’ then select 

‘‘Minerals Management Service’’ from 

the agency drop-down menu, then click 

submit. In the Docket ID column, select 

MMS–2007–OMM–0068 to submit 

public comments and to view 

supporting and related materials 

available for this rulemaking. 

Information on using Regulations.gov, 

including instructions for accessing 

documents, submitting comments, and 

viewing the docket after the close of the 

comment period, is available through 

the site’s ‘‘User Tips’’ link. The MMS 

will post all comments. 

• Mail or hand-carry comments to the 

Department of the Interior; Minerals 

Management Service; Attention: 

Regulations and Standards Branch 

(RSB); 381 Elden Street, MS–4024, 

Herndon, Virginia 20170–4817. Please 

reference Annular Casing Pressure 

Management for Offshore Wells, 1010– 

AD47 in your comments and include 

your name and return address. 

• Send comments on the information 

collection in this rule to: Interior Desk 

Officer 1010–AD47, Office of 

Management and Budget; 202–395–5806 

(fax); e-mail: oira_docket@omb.eop.gov. 

Please also send a copy to MMS. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

comments or questions on procedural 

issues, contact Kirk Malstrom, Office of 

Offshore Regulatory Programs, 

Regulations and Standards Branch, 703– 

787–1751. For questions on technical 

issues, contact Russell Hoshman, 

Technical Assessment and Operations 

Support Section, Gulf of Mexico Outer 

Continental Shelf Region, 504–736– 

2627. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background: Sustained casing 

pressure (SCP) is pressure between the 

casing and the well’s tubing, or between 

strings of casing, that rebuilds after 

being bled down. Data gathered by MMS 


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have shown that SCP is most often 

caused by leaks in the production 

tubing and tubing connectors. It is also 

caused by poorly cemented casing, 

channeling in the cemented annulus, 

and leaks in seals or other equipment. 

If left uncontrolled, this SCP represents 

an ongoing safety hazard and can cause 

serious or immediate harm or damage to 

human life, the marine and coastal 

environment, and property. During the 

period from 1980 to 1990, the oil and 

gas industry in the Gulf of Mexico 

(GOM) suffered four serious accidents as 

a result of high SCP, and the lack of 

proper control and monitoring of these 

pressures. In response, MMS developed 

a policy for the GOM Outer Continental 

Shelf (OCS) under which lessees could 

effectively monitor the SCP of wells in 

an attempt to prevent future accidents. 

As far back as 1977, OCS Order No. 

6, Completion of Oil and Gas Wells, 

required the testing and repair of all 

wells that exhibit SCP. The current 

regulation at 30–CFR–250.517 addresses 

tubing and wellhead equipment. 

Paragraph (a) of § 250.517 requires that 

tubing strings must maintain pressure 

integrity. Paragraph (c) requires that 

wellheads be equipped to monitor SCP 

in all casing annuli, and stipulates that 

the lessee must notify the District 

Manager if SCP is observed. The 

primary intent of this regulation, with 

respect to SCP, is to achieve and 

maintain pressure control of wells. 

Since that regulation was issued in 

1988, MMS has interpreted § 250.517(c) 

to mean that no SCP is to be maintained 

on any annulus of an OCS well. With 

over 8,000 affected wells in the GOM 

with SCP in at least one annuli, 

immediate elimination of all SCP has 

proved to be impractical and 

exceedingly costly. The MMS has 

sought to identify and eliminate SCP in 

cases that represent a clear hazard to the 

safety of personnel or the environment 

and establish a monitoring system for 

the rest, all the while working towards 

elimination of the problem. 

The MMS’s SCP policy was then 

further revised with the issuance of the 

1991 and 1994 Letters to Lessees (LTLs). 

These documents provided further 

clarification regarding wells with SCP, 

reporting procedures, time retention of 

field records, and departure procedures. 

Using the procedures of these LTLs, 

departures from the requirement for no 

SCP were requested and approved 

under § 250.142. Since the 1994 LTL 

was issued, MMS has identified areas of 

concern with the existing reporting, 

testing, and monitoring procedures. 

Once the final rulemaking becomes 

effective, the 1994 LTL will be 

rescinded. 

On November 9, 2001, MMS 

published a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (66 FR 56620) to add SCP 

requirements to 30 CFR part 250, 

subpart E. Various industry 

representatives commented and had 

concerns about the 2001 notice of 

proposed rulemaking. Industry 

proposed a research project to study and 

develop guidance for annular casing 

pressure and MMS agreed. In August 

2006, industry completed the first step 

in managing annular casing pressure by 

publishing the American Petroleum 

Institute’s Recommended Practice 90, 

Annular Casing Pressure Management 

for Offshore Wells (API RP 90). The API 

RP 90 largely utlilizes monitoring, 

diagnostic testing, and documentation 

to establish an annular casing pressure 

management program. The next step for 

industry would be to develop API RP 

65–3, which identifies practices to 

prevent or remediate casing pressure in 

existing wells. 

The API, industry, and MMS have 

worked collectively to produce API RP 

90. As explained in section three of API 

RP 90, this RP is based on establishing 

an annular casing pressure management 

program that filters out nonproblematic 

wells that present an acceptable level of 

risk, thus allowing for a more focused 

effort on wells that are problematic. The 

management program, as outlined in 

API RP 90, includes monitoring, 

diagnostic testing, determining 

maximum allowable wellhead operating 

pressure (MAWOP) for each annulus, 

documentation, and risk assessment 

considerations. 

The cooperative efforts of both 

industry and MMS have shown the 

importance and need to manage annular 

casing pressure. This proposed 

rulemaking would clarify the intended 

policy and procedures, and incorporate 

API RP 90 into MMS regulations. Along 

with the incorporation of API RP 90, 

new sections would be added to 

subparts E and F. The new sections 

proposed to be added in subpart E 

include additional requirements and 

clarifications beyond that of API RP 90. 

The MMS believes the level of risk in 

some particulars of API RP 90 needs to 

be clarified and enhanced; therefore 

additional requirements are explained 

in more detail in applicable sections. 

The following contains a brief section 

by section review of the proposed 

requirements: 

Tubing and Wellhead Equipment 

(§ 250.517) 

In this section, only paragraph (c) 

would be changed. A chart would be 

added to clarify the requirements of the 

different well types for casing pressure 

monitoring. The current regulation does 

not apply to subsea and hybrid wells. 

What are the requirements for casing 

pressure management? (§ 250.518) 

This section states that MMS would 

require you to follow API RP 90 and the 

proposed requirements in §§ 250.519 

through 250.530. It also emphasizes that 

if there is a conflict between API RP 90 

and §§ 250.519 through 250.530, you 

must adhere to the latter. 

How often do I have to monitor for 

casing pressure? (§ 250.519) 

With many different well types in the 

OCS, a table would be added to clarify 

when you must monitor each type of 

well and how often you must record 

your pressure data. 

When do I have to perform a casing 

diagnostic test? (§ 250.520) 

This section states that a casing 

diagnostic test would be required only 

if you experience casing pressure under 

the criteria listed for each well type. 

There is an exemption to the 

requirements of this section. You are 

exempt from performing a diagnostic 

pressure test for the production casing 

on a well operating under active gas lift. 

How do I manage the thermal effects 

caused by initial production on a newly 

completed or recompleted well? 

(§ 250.521) 

A newly completed or recompleted 

well often has thermal casing pressure 

during initial startup. Bleeding casing 

pressure and casing fluids during the 

startup process is considered a normal 

and necessary operation to manage 

casing pressure; therefore, you do not 

need to evaluate these operations as 

casing diagnostic tests. However, after 

you complete startup operations, and if 

you observe casing pressure, then the 

provisions of this section apply. 

When do I have to repeat casing 

diagnostic testing? (§ 250.522) 

This section explains the various 

instances in which you would have to 

repeat casing diagnostic testing. Most 

repeat tests are attributed to timing, 

pressure, or corrective action. 

How long do I keep records of casing 

pressure and diagnostic tests? 

(§ 250.523) 

This section explains how long you 

would have to keep pressure test data in 

the field office closest to your well. This 

is so your personnel may access the 

data, and that such data would be 

available for MMS inspection. Requiring 

the last diagnostic test be kept at the 

nearest field office until the well is 


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abandoned helps assure that the 

abandonment design properly addresses 

casing pressure issues. 

When am I required to take action from 

my casing diagnostic test? (§ 250.524) 

This section clarifies when action is 

required based on the results of the 

diagnostic test. By focusing on specific 

pressure requirements, this section will 

assist lessees and operators in 

determining when they need to take 

action regarding casing pressure, and 

limit the number of casing pressure 

requests. Once the rulemaking becomes 

effective, NTL 2005 G–09 would be 

rescinded. Under paragraph (d), you 

must submit a casing pressure request if 

a well that has increasing casing 

pressure is bled down to prevent it from 

exceeding its MAWOP, except during 

initial startup operations. A newly 

completed or recompleted well often 

has thermal casing pressure during 

initial startup. Bleeding casing pressure 

and casing fluids during the startup 

process is considered a normal and 

necessary operation to manage casing 

pressure. 

What do I submit if my casing 

diagnostic test requires action? 

(§ 250.525) 

This section shows when and where 

you must submit a notification of 

corrective action or casing pressure 

request. The new casing pressure 

request is equivalent to the old 

departure requests, in that under certain 

casing pressure conditions, you still 

need MMS approval to continue 

operations. In lieu of a casing pressure 

request, a corrective action notice can be 

submitted if you recognize that you 

have a well with annular casing 

pressure that requires corrective action. 

The MMS added the corrective action 

request to allow operators the ability to 

begin corrective action without having 

to go through the process of the casing 

pressure request and denial before they 

can begin corrective actions. By 

circumventing the casing pressure 

request, both MMS and industry can 

focus efforts on the necessary corrective 

actions. Submittals are to be sent to the 

appropriate locations to help MMS 

processing. 

What must I include in my notification 

of corrective action? (§ 250.526) 

This section would clarify the 

required contents of a notification of 

corrective action. Once you send in your 

corrective action notice, you are 

required, within 30 days of the 

diagnostic test requiring action, to 

submit the appropriate Application for 

Permit to Modify, corrective action plan, 

and other requirements. 

What must I include in my casing 

pressure request? (§ 250.527) 

This section would clarify the 

required contents of a casing pressure 

request. The information contained in a 

casing pressure request helps MMS 

facilitate the review and approval 

process. 

What are the terms of my casing 

pressure request? (§ 250.528) 

This section explains that the 

Regional Supervisor, Field Operations 

would set the term of the request and 

could also impose additional 

requirements or restrictions to allow 

continued operations of the well. 

What if my casing pressure request is 

denied? (§ 250.529) 

If your casing pressure request is 

denied, this section explains that a 

corrective action plan is required within 

30-days of the request denial. The 

corrective action is sent to the District 

Manager because the district office is in 

charge of approving well operations and 

workovers. After the corrective action is 

complete and you perform the required 

casing diagnostic tests, you must also 

send the casing diagnostic test data to 

the Regional Supervisor, Field 

Operations. The Regional Supervisor, 

Field Operations uses the data to review 

and bring closure to the appropriate 

casing pressure issue. 

When does my casing pressure request 

become invalid? (§ 250.530) 

This section explains when your 

casing pressure request is no longer 

valid. Most casing pressure requests 

become invalid due to timing, pressure 

issues, or corrective actions. 

Tubing and Wellhead Equipment 

(§ 250.617) 

In this section, only paragraph (c) 

would be changed. A chart would be 

added to clarify the requirements of the 

different well types for casing pressure 

monitoring. The current regulation does 

not apply to subsea and hybrid wells. 

Procedural Matters 

Regulatory Planning and Review 

(Executive Order (E.O.) 12866) 

This proposed rule is not a significant 

rule as determined by the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) and is 

not subject to review under E.O. 12866. 

(1) This proposed rule would not have 

an annual effect of $100 million or more 

on the economy. It would not adversely 

affect in a material way the economy, 

productivity, competition, jobs, the 

environment, public health or safety, or 

State, local, or tribal governments or 

communities. There would be some 

costs associated with this rulemaking, 

mostly due to diagnostic testing, 

MAWOP calculations, and reporting to 

MMS. Taking into account paperwork 

burden requirements, diagnostic testing, 

and MAWOP calculations, the costs 

associated with this rulemaking would 

be approximately $5 million industrywide. The proposed rule would not 

require any new equipment to be 

installed, and diagnostic testing is 

currently being done throughout 

industry and is not new. 

(2) This proposed rule would not 

create a serious inconsistency or 

otherwise interfere with an action taken 

or planned by another agency. 

(3) This proposed rule would not alter 

the budgetary effects of entitlements, 

grants, user fees, or loan programs or the 

rights or obligations of their recipients. 

The changes in the proposed rule are 

strictly planning requirements for 

management of annular casing pressure 

in offshore wells. 

(4) This proposed rule would not raise 

novel legal or policy issues arising out 

of legal mandates, the President’s 

priorities, or the principles set forth in 

E.O. 12866. 

Regulatory Flexibility Act 

The Department of the Interior 

certifies that this proposed rule would 

not have a significant economic effect 

on a substantial number of small entities 

under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 

U.S.C. 601 et seq.). 

The changes proposed in the rule 

would affect lessees and operators of 

leases and pipeline right-of-way holders 

in the OCS. This could include about 

130 active Federal oil and gas lessees. 

Small entities that operate under this 

rule fall under the Small Business 

Administration’s (SBA) North American 

Industry Classification System (NAICS) 

codes 211111, Crude Petroleum and 

Natural Gas Extraction, and 213111, 

Drilling Oil and Gas Wells. For these 

NAICS code classifications, a small 

company is one with fewer than 500 

employees. Based on these criteria, an 

estimated 70 percent (91) of these 

companies are considered small. This 

proposed rule, therefore, would affect a 

substantial number of small entities. 

This rule would affect every well on the 

OCS, and every operator both large and 

small would have the same criteria per 

well regardless of company size. 

Nonetheless, the changes proposed in 

the rule would not have a significant 

economic effect on a substantial number 

of small entities because management of 

annular casing pressure would be a 


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moderate cost, mostly attributed to 

diagnostic testing. Taking into account 

recordkeeping, diagnostic testing, and 

MAWOP calculations, the costs 

associated with this rulemaking would 

be approximately $5 million industrywide. In comparison, to remediate the 

approximate 8,000 wells with SCP at 

approximately $250,000 per well would 

cost approximately $2 billion. The costs 

that are associated with this rulemaking 

would be minor when compared to SCP 

remediation costs and would not 

impede a company of any size. 

Your comments are important. The 

Small Business and Agriculture 

Regulatory Enforcement Ombudsman 

and 10 Regional Fairness Boards were 

established to receive comments from 

small businesses about Federal agency 

enforcement actions. The Ombudsman 

will annually evaluate the enforcement 

activities and rate each agency’s 

responsiveness to small business. If you 

wish to comment on the actions of 

MMS, call 1–888–734–3247. You may 

comment to the Small Business 

Administration without fear of 

retaliation. Allegations of 

discrimination/retaliation filed with the 

SBA will be investigated for appropriate 

action. 

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement 

Fairness Act 

This proposed rule is not a major rule 

under 5 U.S.C. 804(2) of the Small 

Business Regulatory Enforcement 

Fairness Act. This proposed rule: 

a. Would not have an annual effect on 

the economy of $100 million or more. 

b. Would not cause a major increase 

in costs or prices for consumers, 

individual industries, Federal, State, or 

local government agencies, or 

geographic regions. 

c. Would not have significant adverse 

effects on competition, employment, 

investment, productivity, innovation, or 

the ability of U.S.-based enterprises to 

compete with foreign-based enterprises. 

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 

This proposed rule would not impose 

an unfunded mandate on State, local, or 

tribal governments or the private sector 

of more than $100 million per year. The 

proposed rule would not have a 

significant or unique effect on State, 

local, or tribal governments or the 

private sector. A statement containing 

the information required by the 

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (2 

U.S.C. 1501 et seq.) is not required. 

Takings Implication Assessment (E.O. 

12630) 

Under the criteria in E.O. 12630, this 

proposed rule does not have significant 

takings implications. The proposed rule 

is not a governmental action capable of 

interference with constitutionally 

protected property rights. A Takings 

Implication Assessment is not required. 

Federalism (E.O. 13132) 

Under the criteria in E.O. 13132, this 

proposed rule does not have federalism 

implications. This proposed rule would 

not substantially and directly affect the 

relationship between the Federal and 

State governments. To the extent that 

State and local governments have a role 

in OCS activities, this proposed rule 

would not affect that role. A Federalism 

Assessment is not required. 

Civil Justice Reform (E.O. 12988) 

This rule complies with the 

requirements of E.O. 12988. 

Specifically, this rule: 

(a) Meets the criteria of section 3(a) 

requiring that all regulations be 

reviewed to eliminate errors and 

ambiguity and be written to minimize 

litigation; and 

(b) Meets the criteria of section 3(b)(2) 

requiring that all regulations be written 

in clear language and contain clear legal 

standards. 

Consultation With Indian Tribes (E.O. 

13175) 

Under the criteria in E.O. 13175, we 

have evaluated this proposed rule and 

determined that it has no substantial 

effects on federally recognized Indian 

tribes. There are no Indian or tribal 

lands in the OCS. 

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) 

The proposed rule contains no new 

reporting or recordkeeping 

requirements, and an Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) 

submission under the PRA is not 

required. The PRA 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 and assigns a 

control number, you are not required to 

respond. The proposed regulations will 

replace the references to NTLs and LTLs 

with specific cites to the code of federal 

regulations. The proposed rulemaking 

refers to, but does not change, 

information collection requirements 

under approved OMB Control Number 

1010–0067 (18,756 hours, expiration 12/ 

31/2010). 

National Environmental Policy Act 

We have prepared an environmental 

assessment to determine whether this 

rule will have a significant impact on 

the quality of the human environment 

under the National Environmental 

Policy Act of 1969. 

Data Quality Act 

In developing this rule, we did not 

conduct or use a study, experiment, or 

survey requiring peer review under the 

Data Quality Act (Pub. L. 106–554, app. 

C section 515, 114 Stat. 2763, 2763A– 

153–154). 

Effects on the Energy Supply (E.O. 

13211) 

This rule is not a significant energy 

action under the definition in E.O. 

13211. A Statement of Energy Effects is 

not required. 

Clarity of This Regulation 

We are required by E.O. 12866, E.O. 

12988, and by the Presidential 

Memorandum of June 1, 1998, to write 

all rules in plain language. This means 

that each rule we publish must: 

(a) Be logically organized; 

(b) Use the active voice to address 

readers directly; 

(c) Use clear language rather than 

jargon; 

(d) Be divided into short sections and 

sentences; and 

(e) Use lists and tables wherever 

possible. 

If you feel that we have not met these 

requirements, send us comments by one 

of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES

section. To better help us revise the 

rule, your comments should be as 

specific as possible. For example, you 

should tell us the numbers of the 

sections or paragraphs that you find 

unclear, which sections or sentences are 

too long, the sections where you feel 

lists or tables would be useful, etc. 

Public Availability of Comments 

Before including your address, phone 

number, e-mail 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. 

List of Subjects in 30 CFR Part 250 

Administrative practice and 

procedure, Continental shelf, 

Environmental protection, Incorporation 

by reference, Oil and gas exploration, 

and Reporting and recordkeeping 

requirements. 


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Dated: July 15, 2009 . 

Ned Farquhar, 

Acting Assistant Secretary—Land and 

Minerals Management. 

For the reasons stated in the 

preamble, the Minerals Management 

Service (MMS) proposes to amend 30 

CFR part 250 as follows: 

PART 250—OIL AND GAS AND 

SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE 

OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF 

1. The authority citation for part 250 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 31 U.S.C. 9701, 43 U.S.C. 1334. 

2. In § 250.198, add the following 

document incorporated by reference to 

the table in paragraph (e) in 

alphanumerical order. 

§ 250.198 Documents incorporated by 

reference. 

* * * * * 

(e) * * * 

Title of documents Incorporated by 

reference at 

* * * * * * * 

API RP 90, Annular Casing Pressure Management for Offshore Wells, First Edition, August 2006, Product No. G09001 ....... § 250.518

* * * * * * * 

3. Revise § 250.517(c) to read as 

follows: 

§ 250.517 Tubing and wellhead equipment. 

* * * * * 

(c) When the tree is installed, you 

must equip wells to monitor for casing 

pressure according to the following 

chart: 

If you have . . . you must equip . . . so you can monitor . . . 

(1) Fixed platform wells, the wellhead .................................. all annuli (A, B, C, D, etc., annuli). 

(2) Subsea wells, the tubing head .............................. the production casing annulus (A annulus). 

(3) Hybrid 1 wells, the surface wellhead ..................... all annuli at the surface (A and B riser annuli). If the production casing below the mudline and the production casing riser above the 

mudline are pressure isolated from each other, provisions must be 

made to monitor the production casing below the mudline for casing pressure. 

1 Characterized as a well drilled with a subsea wellhead and completed with a surface casing head, a surface tubing head, a surface tubing 

hangar, and a surface christmas tree. 

* * * * * 

4. Add an undesignated center 

heading and new §§ 250.518 through 

250.530 to Subpart E—Oil and Gas 

Well-Completion Operations to read as 

follows: 

Casing Pressure Management 

Sec. 

250.518 What are the requirements for 

casing pressure management? 

250.519 How often do I have to monitor for 

casing pressure? 

250.520 When do I have to perform a casing 

diagnostic test? 

250.521 How do I manage the thermal 

effects caused by initial production on a 

newly completed or recompleted well? 

250.522 When do I have to repeat casing 

diagnostic testing? 

250.523 How long do I keep records of 

casing pressure and diagnostic tests? 

250.524 When am I required to take action 

from my casing diagnostic test? 

250.525 What do I submit if my casing 

diagnostic test requires action? 

250.526 What must I include in my 

notification of corrective action? 

250.527 What must I include in my casing 

pressure request? 

250.528 What are the terms of my casing 

pressure request? 

250.529 What if my casing pressure request 

is denied? 

250.530 When does my casing pressure 

request become invalid? 

§ 250.518 What are the requirements for 

casing pressure management? 

Once you install your wellhead, you 

must meet the casing pressure 

management requirements of API RP 90 

(incorporated by reference as specified 

in § 250.198) and the requirements of 

§§ 250.519 through 250.530. If there is a 

conflict between API RP 90 and the 

casing pressure requirements of this 

subpart, you must follow the 

requirements of this subpart. 

§ 250.519 How often do I have to monitor 

for casing pressure? 

You must monitor for casing pressure 

in your well according to the following 

table: 

If you have . . . you must monitor . . . with a minimum one pressure 

data point recorded per . . . 

(a) Fixed platform wells, monthly .......................................... month for each casing. 

(b) Subsea wells, continuously ................................... day for the production casing. 

(c) Hybrid wells, continuously ................................... day for each riser and/or the production casing. 

(d) Wells operating under a casing 

pressure request, 

daily ............................................... day for each casing. 

(e) Wells operating under a casing 

pressure request on an unmanned fixed platform, 

weekly ............................................ week for each casing. 


jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with PROPOSALS
38152 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 146 / Friday, July 31, 2009 / Proposed Rules 

§ 250.520 When do I have to perform a 

casing diagnostic test? 

(a) You must perform a casing 

diagnostic test within 30 days after first 

observing or imposing casing pressure 

according to the following table: 

If you have a . . . you must perform a casing diagnostic test if . . . 

(1) Fixed platform well, the casing pressure is greater than 100 psig. 

(2) Subsea well, the measurable casing pressure is greater than the external hydrostatic pressure plus 100 psig measured at the

subsea wellhead. 

(3) Hybrid well, a riser or the production casing pressure is greater than 100 psig measured at the surface. 

(b) You are exempt from performing a 

diagnostic pressure test for the 

production casing on a well operating 

under active gas lift. 

§ 250.521 How do I manage the thermal 

effects caused by initial production on a 

newly completed or recompleted well? 

A newly completed or recompleted 

well often has thermal casing pressure 

during initial startup. Bleeding casing 

pressure during the startup process is 

considered a normal and necessary 

operation to manage thermal casing 

pressure; therefore, you do not need to 

evaluate these operations as a casing 

diagnostic test. After 30 days of 

continuous production, the initial 

production startup operation is 

complete and you must perform casing 

diagnostic testing as required in 

§§ 250.520 and 250.522. 

§ 250.522 When do I have to repeat casing 

diagnostic testing? 

Casing diagnostic testing must be 

repeated according to the following 

table: 

When . . . you must repeat diagnostic testing . . . 

(a) Your casing pressure request approved term has expired, immediately. 

(b) Your well, previously on gas lift, has been shut-in or returned to 

flowing status for more than 180 days, 

immediately on the production casing (A annulus). The production casing (A annulus) of wells on active gas lift are exempt from diagnostic 

testing. 

(c) Your casing pressure request becomes invalid, within 30 days. 

(d) A casing or riser has an increase in pressure greater than 200 psig 

over the previous casing diagnostic test, 

within 30 days. 

(e) After any corrective action has been taken to remediate undesirable 

casing pressure, either as a result of a casing pressure request denial or any other action, 

within 30 days. 

(f) Your fixed platform well production casings (A annulus) has pressure exceeding 10 percent of its minimum internal yield pressure 

(MIYP), except for production casings on active gas lift, 

once per year, not to exceed 12 months between tests. 

(g) Your fixed platform well’s outer casing (B, C, D, etc., annuli) has a 

pressure exceeding 20 percent of its MIYP, 

once every 5 years, at a minimum. 

§ 250.523 How long do I keep records of 

casing pressure and diagnostic tests? 

Records of casing pressure and 

diagnostic tests must be kept at the field 

office nearest the well for a minimum of 

2 years. The last casing diagnostic test 

for each casing or riser must be retained 

at the field office nearest the well until 

the well is abandoned. 

§ 250.524 When am I required to take 

action from my casing diagnostic test? 

You must take action if you have any 

of the following conditions: 

(a) Any fixed platform well with a 

casing pressure exceeding its maximum 

allowable wellhead operating pressure 

(MAWOP); 

(b) Any fixed platform well with a 

casing pressure that is greater than 100 

psig and that cannot bleed to 0 psig 

through a 1⁄2 inch needle valve within 

24 hours, or is not bled to 0 psig during 

a casing diagnostic test; 

(c) Any well that has demonstrated 

tubing/casing, tubing/riser, casing/ 

casing, riser/casing, or riser/riser 

communication; 

(d) Any well that has sustained casing 

pressure (SCP) and is bled down to 

prevent it from exceeding its MAWOP; 

(e) Any hybrid well with casing or 

riser pressure exceeding 100 psig; or 

(f) Any subsea well with a casing 

pressure 100 psig greater than the 

external hydrostatic pressure at the 

subsea wellhead. 

§ 250.525 What do I submit if my casing 

diagnostic test requires action? 

Within 14 days after you perform a 

casing diagnostic test requiring action 

under § 250.524: 

You must submit either: Submit to the appropriate: Submittal must include: You must also: 

(a) A notification of corrective action; or District Manager and copy the 

Regional Supervisor, Field Operations.

requirements of § 250.526 ............ submit an Application for Permit 

to Modify or Corrective Action 

Plan within 30 days of the diagnostic test. 

(b) A casing pressure request. Regional Supervisor, Field Operations.requirements of § 250.527.


jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 146 / Friday, July 31, 2009 / Proposed Rules 38153 

§ 250.526 What must I include in my 

notification of corrective action? 

The following information must be 

included in the notification of corrective 

action: 

(a) Lessee or Operator name; 

(b) Area name, OCS block number; 

(c) Well name and API number; and 

(d) Casing diagnostic test data. 

§ 250.527 What must I include in my 

casing pressure request? 

The following information must be 

included in the casing pressure request: 

(a) API number; 

(b) Lease number; 

(c) Area name and number; 

(d) Well number; 

(e) Company name and mailing 

address; 

(f) All casing, riser, and tubing sizes, 

weights, grades, and MIYP; 

(g) All casing/riser calculated 

MAWOPs; 

(h) All casing/riser pre-bleed down 

pressures; 

(i) Shut-in tubing pressure; 

(j) Flowing tubing pressure; 

(k) Date and the calculated daily 

production rate during last well test (oil, 

gas, basic sediment, and water); 

(l) Well status (shut-in, temporarily 

abandoned, producing, injecting, or gas 

lift); 

(m) Well type (dry tree, hybrid, or 

subsea); 

(n) Date of diagnostic test; 

(o) Well schematic; 

(p) Water depth; 

(q) Volumes and types of fluid bled 

from each casing or riser evaluated; 

(r) Type of diagnostic test performed: 

(1) Bleed down/buildup test; 

(2) Shut-in the well and monitor the 

pressure drop test; 

(3) Constant production rate and 

decrease the annular pressure test; 

(4) Constant production rate and 

increase the annular pressure test; 

(5) Change the production rate and 

monitor the casing pressure test; and 

(6) Casing pressure and tubing 

pressure history plot; 

(s) The casing diagnostic test data for 

all casing exceeding 100 psig; 

(t) Associated shoe strengths for 

casing shoes exposed to annular fluids; 

(u) Concentration of any H2S that may 

be present; 

(v) Whether the structure on which 

the well is located is manned or 

unmanned; 

(w) Additional comments; and 

(x) Request date. 

§ 250.528 What are the terms of my casing 

pressure request? 

Casing pressure requests are granted 

by the Regional Supervisor, Field 

Operations for a term to be determined 

by the Regional Supervisor on a case-bycase basis. The Regional Supervisor may 

impose additional restrictions or 

requirements to allow continued 

operation of the well. 

§ 250.529 What if my casing pressure 

request is denied? 

(a) If your casing pressure request is 

denied, then the operating company 

must submit plans for corrective action 

to the respective District Manager 

within 30 days of receiving the denial. 

The District Manager will establish a 

specific time period in which this 

corrective action will be taken. You 

must notify the respective District 

Manager within 30 days after 

completion of your corrected action. 

(b) You must submit the casing 

diagnostic test data to the appropriate 

Regional Supervisor, Field Operations 

within 14 days of completion of the 

diagnostic test required under 

§ 250.522(e). 

§ 250.530 When does my casing pressure 

request become invalid? 

A casing pressure request becomes 

invalid when: 

(a) The casing or riser pressure 

increases by 200 psig over the granted 

casing pressure request pressure; 

(b) The approved term ends; 

(c) The well is worked-over, sidetracked, redrilled, recompleted, or acid 

stimulated; 

(d) A different casing or riser on the 

same well requires a casing pressure 

request; or 

(e) A well has more than one casing 

operating under a casing pressure 

request and one of the casing pressure 

requests become invalid, then all casing 

pressure requests for that well become 

invalid. 

5. Revise § 250.617(c) to read as 

follows: 

* * * * * 

§ 250.617 Tubing and wellhead equipment. 

* * * * * 

(c) When reinstalling the tree you 

must: 

(1) Equip wells to monitor for casing 

pressure according to the following 

chart: 

If you have . . . you must equip . . . so you can monitor . . . 

(i) Fixed platform wells, the wellhead .................................. all annuli (A, B, C, D, etc., annuli). 

(ii) Subsea wells, the tubing head .............................. the production casing annulus (A annulus). 

(iii) Hybrid 1 wells, the surface wellhead ..................... all annuli at the surface (A and B riser annuli). 

If the production casing below the mudline and the production casing 

riser above the mudline are pressure isolated from each other, provisions must be made to monitor the production casing below the 

mudline for casing pressure. 

1 Characterized as a well drilled with a subsea wellhead and completed with a surface casing head, a surface tubing head, a surface tubing 

hangar, and a surface christmas tree. 

(2) Follow the casing pressure 

management requirements in subpart E 

of this part. 

* * * * * 

[FR Doc. E9–17874 Filed 7–30–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P 

NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS 

ADMINISTRATION 

36 CFR Part 1280 

[FDMS Docket NARA–09–0003] 

RIN 3095–AB60 

Photography in Public Exhibit Space 

AGENCY: National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). 

ACTION: Proposed rule. 

SUMMARY: The proposed rule limits the 

use of film, photographic, and videotape 

equipment inside the National Archives 

Building in Washington, DC. Filming, 

photographing, and videotaping will be 

prohibited in exhibits of the National 

Archives Experience (NAE) in 

Washington, DC, including the 

Declaration of Independence, the 

Constitution, and the Bill of Rights 

(known as the Charters of Freedom) in 

the Rotunda of the National Archives 

Building. In 2003 NARA installed new 


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