Source: http://cclme.org/viewcontents/?f=1-30CFR251.txt
Timestamp: 2018-11-18 16:25:47
Document Index: 256677429

Matched Legal Cases: ['ART 251', '§ 251', 'art 280', '§ 251', '§ 251', '§ 251', '§251', 'art 250', 'art 250', '§ 251', '§ 251', '§251', '§ 251', 'art 250', 'art 290', '§ 251', 'art 250', '§ 251', '§ 251', '§251', '§ 251', 'arts 250', 'arts 250', '§251', 'art 256', 'arts 250', 'art 251', '§251', 'art 250']

CCLME.ORG - 30 CFR PART 251—GEOLOGICAL AND GEOPHYSICAL (G&G) EXPLORATIONS OF THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF
1-30CFR251.txt - CFR - 4/18/2006 0:00:00 - Regulation - US
Source: 62 FR 67284, Dec. 24, 1997, unless otherwise noted.
Archaeological resources means any material remains of human life or activities that are at least 50 years of age and of archaeological interest.
Director means the Director of the Minerals Management Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, or a subordinate authorized to act on the Director's behalf.
Geophysical exploration means exploration that utilizes geophysical techniques (e.g., gravity, magnetic, or seismic) to produce data and information on oil, gas, and sulphur resources in support of possible exploration and development activities. The term does not include geophysical scientific research.
Information means geological and geophysical data that have been analyzed, processed, or interpreted.
Lessee means a person who has entered into, or is the MMS approved assignee of, a lease with the United States to explore for, develop, and produce the leased minerals. The term “lessee” also includes an owner of operating rights.
Processed geological or geophysical information means data collected under a permit and later processed or reprocessed. Processing involves changing the form of data so as to facilitate interpretation. Processing operations may include, but are not limited to, applying corrections for known perturbing causes, rearranging or filtering data, and combining or transforming data elements. Reprocessing is the additional processing other than ordinary processing used in the general course of evaluation. Reprocessing operations may include varying identified parameters for the detailed study of a specific problem area.
§ 251.2 Purpose of this part.
(d) To inform you and third parties of the U.S. Government's rights to access G&G data and information collected under permit in the OCS, reimbursement for submittal of data and information, and the proprietary terms of data and information submitted to, and retained by, MMS.
MMS authorizes you to conduct exploration or scientific research activities under this part in accordance with the Act, the regulations in this part, orders of the Director/Regional Director, and other applicable statutes, regulations, and amendments.
(c) G&G exploration or G&G scientific research related to minerals other than oil, gas, and sulphur is covered by regulations at 30 CFR part 280.
§ 251.4 Types of G&G activities that require permits or Notices.
(a) Exploration. You must have an MMS-approved permit to conduct G&G exploration, including deep stratigraphic tests, for oil, gas, or sulphur resources. If you conduct both geological and geophysical exploration, you must have a separate permit for each.
(b) Scientific research. You may only conduct G&G scientific research related to oil, gas, and sulphur in the OCS after you obtain an MMS-approved permit or file a Notice.
(2) Notice. Any other G&G scientific research that you conduct related to oil, gas, and sulphur in the OCS requires you to file a Notice with the Regional Director at least 30 days before you begin. If circumstances preclude a 30-day Notice, you must provide oral notification and followup in writing. You must also inform MMS in writing when you conclude your work.
(a) Permits. You must submit a signed original and three copies of the MMS permit application form (Form MMS–327). The form includes names of persons, type, location, purpose, and dates of activity, and environmental and other information.
(b) Disapproval of permit application. If MMS disapproves your application for a permit, the Regional Director will state the reasons for the denial and will advise you of the changes needed to obtain approval.
(10) At your option, you may submit (as a substitute for the material required in paragraphs (c)(7), (c)(8), and (c)(9) of this section) the nonexclusive use agreement for scientific research attachment to Form 327.
(1) For the OCS off the State of Alaska—the Regional Supervisor for Resource Evaluation, Minerals Management Service, Alaska OCS Region, 949 East 36th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska 99508–4302.
(2) For the OCS off the Atlantic Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico—the Regional Supervisor for Resource Evaluation, Minerals Management Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123–2394.
(3) For the OCS off the coast of the States of California, Oregon, Washington, or Hawaii—the Regional Supervisor for Resource Evaluation, Minerals Management Service, Pacific OCS Region, 770 Paseo Camarillo, Camarillo, California 93010–6064.
§ 251.6 Obligations and rights under a permit or a Notice.
While conducting G&G exploration or scientific research activities under MMS permit or Notice:
§ 251.7 Test drilling activities under a permit.
(2) Submit information for coastal zone consistency certification according to paragraphs (b)(3) and (b)(4) of this section, and for protecting archaeological resources according to paragraph (b)(5) of this section.
(b) Deep stratigraphic tests. You must submit to the appropriate Regional Director, at the address given in §251.5, a drilling plan, an environmental report, and an application for permit to drill (Form MMS–123) as follows:
(vi) Other relevant data and information that the Regional Director requires.
(i) A summary with data and information available at the time you submitted the related drilling plan. MMS will consider site-specific data and information developed since the most recent environmental impact statement or other environmental impact analysis in the immediate area. The summary must meet the following requirements:
(C) You must refer only to data that are available to MMS.
(vi) Other relevant data that the Regional Director requires.
(3) Copies for coastal States. You must submit copies of the drilling plan and environmental report to the Regional Director for transmittal to the Governor of each affected coastal State and the coastal zone management agency of each affected coastal State that has an approved program under the Coastal Zone Management Act. (The Regional Director will make the drilling plan and environmental report available to appropriate Federal agencies and the public according to the Department of the Interior's policies and procedures).
(4) Certification of coastal zone management program consistency and State concurrence. When required under an approved coastal zone management program of an affected State, your drilling plan must include a certification that the proposed activities described in the plan comply with enforceable policies of, and will be conducted in a manner consistent with such State's program. The Regional Director may not approve any of the activities described in the drilling plan unless the State concurs with the consistency certification or the Secretary of Commerce makes the finding authorized by section 307(c)(3)(B)(iii) of the Coastal Zone Management Act.
(B) Establish to the satisfaction of the Regional Director that an archaeological resource does not exist or will not be adversely affected by drilling. This must be done by further archaeological investigation, conducted by an archaeologist and a geophysicist, using survey equipment and techniques deemed necessary by the Regional Director. A report on the investigation must be submitted to the Regional Director for review.
(ii) If the Regional Director determines that an archaeological resource is likely to be present in the area that may be affected by drilling, and may be adversely affected by drilling, the Regional Director will notify you immediately. You must take no action that may adversely affect the archaeological resource unless further investigations determine that the resource is not archaeologically significant.
(iii) If you discover any archaeological resource while drilling, you must immediately halt drilling and report the discovery to the Regional Director. If investigations determine that the resource is significant, the Regional Director will inform you how to protect it.
(6) Application for permit to drill (APD). Before commencing deep stratigraphic test drilling activities under an approved drilling plan, you must submit an APD (Form MMS–123) and receive approval. You must comply with all regulations relating to drilling operations in 30 CFR part 250.
(7) Revising an approved drilling plan. Before you revise an approved drilling plan, you must obtain the Regional Director's approval.
(8) After drilling. When you complete the test activities, you must permanently plug and abandon the boreholes of all deep stratigraphic tests in compliance with 30 CFR part 250. If the tract on which you conducted a deep stratigraphic test is leased to another party for exploration and development, and if the lessee has not disturbed the borehole, MMS will hold you and not the lessee responsible for problems associated with the test hole.
(9) Deadline for completing a deep stratigraphic test. If your deep stratigraphic test well is within 50 geographic miles of a tract that MMS has identified for a future lease sale, as listed on the currently approved OCS leasing schedule, you must complete all drilling activities and submit the data and information to the Regional Director at least 60 days before the first day of the month in which MMS schedules the lease sale. However, the Regional Director may extend your permit duration to allow you to complete drilling activities and submit data and information if the extension is in the national interest.
(c) Group participation in test drilling. MMS encourages group participation for deep stratigraphic tests.
(1) Before MMS issues a permit authorizing the drilling of a deep stratigraphic test, you must either:
(i) Furnish to MMS a bond of not less than $200,000 that guarantees compliance with all the terms and conditions of the permit; or
(2) You must provide additional security to MMS if the Regional Director determines that it is necessary for the permit or area.
(4) Your bond must be on a form approved by the Associate Director for Offshore Minerals Management.
§ 251.8 Inspection and reporting requirements for activities under a permit.
(a) Inspection of permit activities. You must allow MMS representatives to inspect your exploration or scientific research activities under a permit. They will determine whether operations are adversely affecting the environment, aquatic life, archaeological resources, or other uses of the area. MMS will reimburse you for food, quarters, and transportation that you provide for MMS representatives if you send in your reimbursement request to the Region that issued the permit within 90 days of the inspection.
§ 251.9 Temporarily stopping, canceling, or relinquishing activities approved under a permit.
(a) MMS may temporarily stop exploration or scientific research activities under a permit when the Regional Director determines that:
(2) You failed to comply with any applicable law, regulation, order, or provision of the permit. This would include MMS' required submission of reports, well records or logs, and G&G data and information within the time specified; or
(b) Procedures to temporarily stop activities. (1) The Regional Director will advise you either orally or in writing. MMS will confirm an oral notification in writing and deliver all written notifications by courier or certified or registered mail. You must halt all activities under a permit as soon as you receive an oral or written notification.
(1) If MMS cancels your permit, the Regional Director will advise you by certified or registered mail 30 days before the cancellation date and will state the reason.
(3) After MMS cancels your permit or you relinquish it, you are still responsible for proper abandonment of any drill sites in accordance with the requirements of §251.7(b)(8). You must also comply with all other obligations specified in this part or in the permit.
§ 251.10 Penalties and appeals.
(a) Penalties for noncompliance under a permit issued by MMS. You are subject to the penalty provisions of: (1) Section 24 of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1350); and (2) The procedures contained in 30 CFR part 250, subpart N, for noncompliance with: (i) Any provision of the Act; (ii) Any provision of a G&G or drilling permit; or (iii) Any regulation or order issued under the Act.
(c) Procedures to appeal orders or decisions MMS issues. See 30 CFR part 290 for instructions on how to appeal any order or decision that we issue under this part.
[62 FR 67284, Dec. 24, 1997, as amended at 65 FR 3856, Jan. 25, 2000]
§ 251.11 Submission, inspection, and selection of geological data and information collected under a permit and processed by permittees or third parties.
(2) The Regional Director may ask if you have further analyzed, processed, or interpreted any geological data and information. When so asked, you must respond to MMS in writing within 30 days.
(b) Submission, inspection, and selection of geological data and information. The Regional Director may request the permittee or third party to submit the analyzed, processed, and interpreted geologic data and information for inspection and/or permanent retention by MMS. The data and information must be submitted within 30 days after such request.
(1) The third party recipient of the data and information assumes the obligations under this section, except for the notification provisions of paragraph (a)(1), and is subject to the penalty provisions of 30 CFR part 250, subpart N; and
§ 251.12 Submission, inspection, and selection of geophysical data and information collected under a permit and processed by permittees or third parties.
(2) The Regional Director may ask if you have further processed or interpreted any geophysical data and information. When so asked, you must respond to MMS in writing within 30 days.
(b) Submission, inspection and selection of geophysical data and information collected under a permit. The Regional Director may request that the permittee or third party submit geophysical data and information before making a final selection for retention. MMS representatives may inspect and select the data and information on your premises, or the Regional Director can request delivery of the data and information to the appropriate MMS regional office for review.
§ 251.13 Reimbursement for the costs of reproducing data and information and certain processing costs.
(a) MMS will reimburse you or a third party for reasonable costs of reproducing data and information that the Regional Director requests if:
(1) You deliver G&G data and information to MMS for the Regional Director to inspect or select and retain (according to §§251.11 or 251.12 );
(2) MMS receives your request for reimbursement and the Regional Director determines that the requested reimbursement is proper; and
(b) MMS will reimburse you or the third party for the reasonable costs of processing geophysical information (which does not include cost of data acquisition):
(2) If you collected the information under a permit that MMS issued to you before October 1, 1985, and the Regional Director requests and retains the information.
(d) MMS will not reimburse you or a third party for data acquisition costs or for the costs of analyzing or processing geological information or interpreting geological or geophysical information.
§ 251.14 Protecting and disclosing data and information submitted to MMS under a permit.
Link to an amendment published at 71 FR 16039, March 30, 2006.
(a) Disclosure of data and information to the public by MMS. (1) In making data and information available to the public, the Regional Director will follow the applicable requirements of:
(iv) The regulations at 30 CFR parts 250 and 252.
(2) Except as specified in this section or in 30 CFR parts 250 and 252, if the Regional Director determines any data or information is exempt from public disclosure under paragraph (a) of this section, MMS will not provide the data and information to any State or to the executive of any local government or to the public, unless you and all third parties agree to the disclosure.
(3) MMS will keep confidential the identity of third party recipients of data and information collected under a permit. MMS will not release the identity unless you and the third parties agree to the disclosure.
(b) Timetable for release of G&G data and information that MMS acquires. MMS will release data and information that you or a third party submits and MMS retains, in accordance with paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(2) of this section.
(1) If the data and information are not related to a deep stratigraphic test, MMS will release them to the public in accordance with the following table:
If you or a third party submit and MMS The Regional Director will
retains disclose them to the public
Geological data and information........... 10 years after issuing the
Geophysical data.......................... 50 years after you or a
third party submit the
Geophysical information................... 25 years after you or a
(2) If the data and information are related to a deep stratigraphic test, MMS will release them to the public at the earlier of the following times:
(ii) If a lease sale is held after you complete a test well, 60 calendar days after MMS issues the first lease, any portion of which is located within 50 geographic miles (92.7 kilometers) of the test.
(c) Procedure that MMS follows to disclose acquired data and information to a contractor for reproduction, processing, and interpretation. (1) When practical, the Regional Director will advise the person who submitted data and information under §§251.11 or 251.12 of the intent to disclose the data or information to an independent contractor or agent.
(d) Sharing data and information with coastal States. (1) When MMS solicits nominations for leasing lands located within 3 geographic miles (5.6 kilometers) of the seaward boundary of any coastal State, the Regional Director, in accordance with 30 CFR 252.7 (a)(4) and (b) and subsections 8(g) and 26(e) of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1337(g) and 1352(e)), will provide the Governor with:
(i) All information on the geographical, geological, and ecological characteristics of the areas and regions MMS proposes to offer for lease;
(2) After receiving nominations for leasing an area of the OCS within 3 geographic miles of the seaward boundary of any coastal State, MMS will carry out a tentative area identification according to 30 CFR part 256, subparts D and E. At that time, the Regional Director will consult with the Governor to determine whether any tracts further considered for leasing may contain any oil or gas reservoirs that underlie both the OCS and lands subject to the jurisdiction of the State.
(3) Before a sale, if a Governor requests, the Regional Director, in accordance with 30 CFR 252.7(a)(4) and (b) and sections 8(g) and 26(e) of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1337(g) and 1352(e)), will share with the Governor information that identifies potential and/or proven common hydrocarbon bearing areas within 3 geographic miles of the seaward boundary of that State.
(ii) The regulations at 30 CFR parts 250, 251, and 252.
(a) The Office of Management and Budget has approved the information collection requirements in this part under 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. and assigned OMB control number 1010–0048. The title of this information collection is “30 CFR Part 251, Geological and Geophysical (G&G) Explorations of the OCS.”
(d) Respondents are Federal OCS permittees and Notice filers.Responses are mandatory or are required to obtain or retain a benefit. We will protect information considered proprietary under applicable law and under regulations at §251.14 and part 250 of this chapter. (continued)