published 60-day FR notice 1010-0041

2522

Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 10 / Tuesday, January 15, 2008 / Notices

Gary
E. Slagel, Associate Lewistown Field
Manager, Lewistown Field Office, P.O.
Box 1160, Lewistown, Montana 59457,
406/538–1900.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATON CONTACT:

Dated: January 8, 2008.
Gary E. Slagel,
Associate Lewistown Field Manager.
[FR Doc. E8–481 Filed 1–14–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–$$–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Minerals Management Service
[Docket No. MMS–2007–OMM–0078]

MMS Information Collection Activity:
1010–0041 (30 CFR 250, Subpart K) Oil
and Gas Production Rates, Extension
of a Collection; Comment Request
Minerals Management Service
(MMS), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of extension of an
information collection (1010–0041).

rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES

AGENCY:

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 K, Oil and Gas Production
Rates.
DATE: Submit written comments by
March 17, 2008.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by any of the following methods listed
below.
• Electronically: go to http://
www.regulations.gov, select ‘‘Minerals
Management Service’’ from the agency
drop-down menu, then click ‘‘submit.’’
In the Docket ID column, select MMS–
2007–OMM–0078 to submit public
comments and to view supporting and
related materials available. 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. All comments
submitted will be published and posted
to the docket after the closing period.
• 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–
0041’’ in your comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Cheryl Blundon, Regulations and

VerDate Aug<31>2005

17:48 Jan 14, 2008

Jkt 214001

Standards Branch at (703) 787–1607.
You may also contact Cheryl Blundon to
obtain a copy, at no cost, of the
regulations and the forms that require
the subject collection of information.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: 30 CFR Part 250, Subpart K, Oil
and Gas Production Rates.
Form(s): MMS–126, MMS–127,
MMS–128, and MMS–140.
OMB Control Number: 1010–0041.
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.’’
Section 1334(g)(2) states ‘‘* * * the
lessee shall produce such oil or gas, or
both, at rates * * * to assure the
maximum rate of production which may
be sustained without loss of ultimate
recovery of oil or gas, or both, under
sound engineering and economic
principles, and which is safe for the
duration of the activity covered by the
approved plan.’’
These authorities and responsibilities
are among those delegated to the
Minerals Management Service (MMS).
The regulations at 30 CFR 250, subpart
K, concern oil and gas production rates,
and are the subject of this collection.
In addition, MMS also issues various
Notices to Lessees (NTLs) and Operators
to clarify and provide additional
guidance on some aspects of the
regulations, as well as various forms to
capture the data and information. The
current subpart K regulations specify
the use of forms MMS–126 (Well
Potential Test Report), MMS–127
(Sensitive Reservoir Information
Report), MMS–128 (Semiannual Well

PO 00000

Frm 00082

Fmt 4703

Sfmt 4703

Test Report), and MMS–140
(Bottomhole Pressure Survey Report).
The forms and their purposes are:
Form MMS–126, Well Potential Test
Report
The MMS uses this information for
various environmental, reservoir,
reserves, and conservation analyses,
including the determination of
maximum production rates (MPRs)
when necessary for certain oil and gas
completions.
Form MMS–127, Sensitive Reservoir
Information Report
The MMS uses this information to
determine whether a rate-sensitive
reservoir is being prudently developed.
Form MMS–128, Semiannual Well Test
Report
The MMS uses this information to
evaluate the results of well tests to
determine if reservoirs are being
depleted in a manner that will lead to
the greatest ultimate recovery of
hydrocarbons.
Form MMS–140, Bottomhole Pressure
Survey Report
The MMS uses the information in our
efforts to conserve natural resources,
prevent waste, and protect correlative
rights, including the Government’s
royalty interest.
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 or for limited use.’’ No items
of a sensitive nature are collected.
Responses are required to obtain or
retain benefits.
Frequency: On occasion, monthly,
semi-annually, annually and as a result
of situations encountered.
Estimated Number and Description of
Respondents: Approximately 130
Federal OCS oil and gas lessees.
Estimated Reporting and
Recordkeeping ‘‘Hour’’ Burden: The
currently approved annual reporting
burdens totaled for the consolidated
collection is 43,065 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.

E:\FR\FM\15JAN1.SGM

15JAN1

2523

Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 10 / Tuesday, January 15, 2008 / Notices

Citation 30 CFR
250 Subpart K
and NTL(s)

Hour burden
Requirement
Fee burden

1101(b), (f)

Request approval to produce within 500 feet of a lease line. ...............................................................................

1101(c), (f) ........

Request approval to produce gas cap of a sensitive reservoir .............................................................................

1102 ..................

Submit form MMS–126 ..........................................................................................................................................
Submit form MMS–127 and appropriate supporting information ...........................................................................
Submit form MMS–128 ..........................................................................................................................................

1102(a)(5) .........
1102(b)(6) .........
1103(a) ..............
1103(c)
1104(c) ..............
1105(a), (b) .......
1105(c) ..............
1105(f) ...............
1106 ..................
1107(b) ..............
1107(c) ..............
1100–1107 ........

5
$3,300 fee
12
$4,200 fee
0.2
1.5
0.5–3

Submit alternative plan for overproduction status—MMS is not currently collecting this information.
Request extension of time to submit results of semiannual well test ....................................................................
Request approval of test periods of less than 4 hours and pretest stabilization periods of less than 6 hours ....
Provide advance notice of time and date of well tests ..........................................................................................
Submit results of all static bottomhole pressure surveys obtained by lessee. Information is submitted on form
MMS–140 in the Gulf of Mexico Region.
Request special approval to flare or vent oil-well gas ...........................................................................................
Request approval to burn produced liquid hydrocarbons ......................................................................................
Submit monthly reports of flared or vented gas containing H2S ...........................................................................
Submit application to commingle hydrocarbons produced from multiple reservoirs and inform other lessees
having an interest.
Submit proposed plan for enhanced recovery operations .....................................................................................
Submit periodic reports of volumes of oil, gas, or other substances injected, produced, or reproduced .............
General departure or alternative compliance requests not specifically covered elsewhere in subpart K, including bottomhole pressure survey waivers and reservoir reclassification requests.

0.5
0.5
0.5
1
0.5
0.5
2
6
$4,900 fee
12
2
1
6

Reporting Subtotal

rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES

1105(d), (e) .......
1105(d), (e) .......

Maintain records for 2 years detailing gas flaring or venting .................................................................................
Maintain records for 2 years detailing liquid hydrocarbon burning ........................................................................

Estimated Reporting and
Recordkeeping ‘‘Non-Hour Cost’’
Burden: We have identified three nonhour cost burdens for this collection
(see table above). Section 250.1101(f)
requires a fee for a gas cap production
request. Section 250.1101(f) requires a
fee to produce within 500 feet of a lease
line request. Section 250.1106 requires
a fee for a downhole commingling
request. We have not identified any
other ‘‘non-hour cost’’ burdens
associated with this collection of
information.
Public Disclosure Statement: The PRA
(44 U.S.C. 3501,et seq.) provides that an
agency may not conduct or sponsor a
collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control
number. Until OMB approves a
collection of information, you are not
obligated to respond.
Comments: Before submitting an ICR
to OMB, PRA section 3506(c)(2)(A)
requires each agency ‘‘* * * to provide
notice * * * and otherwise consult
with members of the public and affected
agencies concerning each proposed
collection of information * * * ’’.
Agencies must specifically solicit
comments to: (a) Evaluate whether the
proposed collection of information is
necessary for the agency to perform its
duties, including whether the
information is useful; (b) evaluate the

VerDate Aug<31>2005

17:48 Jan 14, 2008

Jkt 214001

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 ‘‘nonhour 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

PO 00000

Frm 00083

Fmt 4703

Sfmt 4703

13
0.5

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 Procedure: 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.
MMS Information Collection
Clearance Officer: Arlene Bajusz, (202)
208–7744.
Dated: December 21, 2007.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. E8–616 Filed 1–14–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P

E:\FR\FM\15JAN1.SGM

15JAN1