78 FR 232 pgs. 72688-72693 - Information Collection Activities: Application for Permit To Drill; Proposed Collection; Comment Request
Type: NOTICEVolume: 78Number: 232Pages: 72688 - 72693
Pages: 72688, 72689, 72690, 72691, 72692, 72693Docket number: [Docket ID BSEE-2013-0008; OMB Control Number 1014-NEW; 134E1700D2 EEEE500000 ET1SF0000.DAQ000]
FR document: [FR Doc. 2013-28835 Filed 12-2-13; 8:45 am]
Agency: Interior Department
Sub Agency: Safety and Environmental Enforcement Bureau
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
[Docket ID BSEE-2013-0008; OMB Control Number 1014-NEW; 134E1700D2 EEEE500000 ET1SF0000.DAQ000]
Information Collection Activities: Application for Permit To Drill; Proposed Collection; Comment Request
ACTION:
60-day Notice.
SUMMARY:
To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (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 submission of this information collection request (ICR) is necessary so that both industry and BSEE have a better understanding of the regulatory requirements associated with all supporting data and information that is submitted with an Application for Permit to Drill (APD), a Revised APD, and the Supplemental APD Information Sheet under the multiple subparts. This ICR will separate out the hours and non-hour cost burdens associated with APDs and Supplemental APDs from its currently approved IC into its own separate collection; it will also reflect more accurate burden estimates.
DATES:
You must submit comments by February 3, 2014.
ADDRESSES:
You may submit comments by either of the following methods listed below.
• Electronically: go to http://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter BSEE-2013-0008 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; BSEE; Regulations and Standards Branch; Attention: Cheryl Blundon; 381 Elden Street, HE3313; Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817. Please reference ICR 1014-NEW 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, Application for Permit to Drill and all supporting documentation.
Forms: BSEE-0123 and BSEE-0123S.
OMB Control Number: 1014-NEW.
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-of-use 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 1332(6) states that "operations in the Outer Continental Shelf should be conducted in a safe manner by well trained personnel using technology, precautions, and other techniques sufficient to prevent or minimize the likelihood of blowouts, loss of well control, fires, spillages, physical obstructions to other users of the waters or subsoil and seabed, or other occurrences which may cause damage to the environment or to property or endanger life or health."
In addition to the general rulemaking authority of the OCSLA at 43 U.S.C. 1334, section 301(a) of the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act (FOGRMA), 30 U.S.C. 1751(a), grants authority to the Secretary to prescribe such rules and regulations as are reasonably necessary to carry out FOGRMA's provisions. While the majority of FOGRMA is directed to royalty collection and enforcement, some provisions apply to offshore operations. For example, section 108 of FOGRMA, 30 U.S.C. 1718, grants the Secretary broad authority to inspect lease sites for the purpose of determining whether there is compliance with the mineral leasing laws. Section 109(c)(2) and (d)(1), 30 U.S.C. 1719(c)(2) and (d)(1), impose substantial civil penalties for failure to permit lawful inspections and for knowing or willful preparation or submission of false, inaccurate, or misleading reports, records, or other information. Because the Secretary has delegated some of the authority under FOGRMA to BSEE, 30 U.S.C. 1751 is included as additional authority for these requirements.
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, BSEE is required to charge fees for services that provide special benefits or privileges to an identifiable non-Federal recipient above and beyond those which accrue to the public at large. Applications for permits to drill are subject to cost recovery, and BSEE regulations specify service fees for these requests.
[top] Regulations implementing these responsibilities are among those delegated to BSEE. The regulations at 30 CFR part 250 stipulate the various requirements that must be submitted with an APD, Revised APD, (Form BSEE-0123) and a Supplemental APD Information Sheet (Form BSEE-0123S) which is the subject of this collection. Currently, an APD is covered only under 30 CFR part 250, subpart D, 1014-0018, and when discussed in Subparts A, E, H, and P, they are cross referenced. It is difficult to correlate the APD burden requirements in the other subparts with their respective burden.
In this ICR, we have included a certification statement on both forms to state that false submissions are subject to criminal penalties. Also, we clarified some sections of the Form BSEE-0123. This poses minor edits and they are as follows:
Question #17-facility name was added;
Question #25-revised the citations for accuracy;
Question #33-added new question-H) Has the drilling rig been approved for the use of digital BOP testing? If yes, which version?
The forms that are submitted and their purposes are: Application for Permit to Drill, BSEE-0123, and Supplemental APD Information Sheet (Casing Design), BSEE-0123S. We use the information that is submitted with these forms to determine the conditions of a drilling site to avoid hazards inherent in drilling operations. Specifically, we use the information to evaluate the adequacy of a lessee's or operator's plan and equipment for drilling, sidetracking, or deepening operations. This includes the adequacy of the proposed casing design, casing setting depths, drilling fluid (mud) programs, cementing programs and blowout preventer (BOP) systems to ascertain that the proposed operations will be conducted in an operationally safe manner that provides adequate protection for the environment. The BSEE also reviews the information to ensure conformance with specific provisions of the lease. In addition, except for proprietary data, BSEE is required by the OCS Lands Act to make available to the public certain information submitted on these forms.
The BSEE will protect proprietary information according to the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and its implementing regulations (43 CFR part 2); 30 CFR 250.197, Data and information to be made available to the public or for limited inspection; and 30 CFR part 252, OCS Oil and Gas Information Program. No items of a sensitive nature are collected. Responses are required to obtain or retain a benefit or they are mandatory.
Frequency: On occasion and as required in the regulations.
Description of Respondents: Potential respondents comprise Federal oil, gas, or sulphur lessees and/or operators.
Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: In this submission, we are estimating 47,800 burden 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.
Note:
In the Burden Table, a Revised APD hour burden is preceded by the letter R.
BILLING CODE 4310-VH-P
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Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden: We have identified one non-hour cost burden for this collection. The 30 CFR part 250 regulations require a $2,123 cost recovery fee (non-hour cost burden) for APD submittals. The application fee is required to recover the Federal Government's processing cost, and we have not identified any other non-hour cost burdens in this ICR. We estimate a total reporting non-hour cost burden of $866,184 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.
[top] 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
Agencies must also estimate the non-hour 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: November 22, 2013.
Robert W. Middleton,
Deputy Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. 2013-28835 Filed 12-2-13; 8:45 am]
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