914: Monthly Oil and Natural Gas Production Report
March 2014
Round One
(This protocol is a guide – the questions presented here won’t necessarily be asked exactly as worded in the protocol or in this order. It is important to note that not all questions will be asked in every interview.)
Research Goals:
To assess American Petroleum Institute (API) Gravity data available in respondent’s records;
To understand the cognitive burden required from respondents to translate what is in their records to our API Gravity data requests;
And, if time permits, to test the remaining components of the EIA-914, including the burden of asking EIA-914 respondents to report for 21 states/regions (previously it was seven states/regions).
Introduce observers and their background
Purpose of visit:
Let me start by telling you a little about what we will be doing today:
The EIA-914, currently known as the Monthly Natural Gas Production Report, is adding a section that will collect crude oil and lease condensate production volumes by state and crude oil and lease condensate API Gravity volumes by state from well and field operators. The new form will be called the Monthly Oil and Natural Gas Production Report.
As you may know, the EIA-914 collects information on natural gas production by operators in the United States and you probably have submitted this survey in the past.
Because you’re familiar with the form, we wanted to get your opinion about this new section that will collect crude oil and lease condensate production volumes by state, along with crude oil and lease condensate API Gravity volumes by state. And if we have time, we ask a few questions about other parts of the form.
Ultimately, we are interested in how you understand our questions, how the information we ask for is kept in your records, and the challenges you may face when reporting these data to EIA.
There are no right or wrong answers, and if something doesn’t make sense to you or you have any questions, please ask. It is important for us to know both things that work and don’t work so we can improve the form.
Before we get started, I'd like to audio record this interview so I don't have to later rely on my memory. This session is confidential, which means only persons authorized to work on this project can listen to your tapes, and the recordings are erased once our report is written. The report combines information from all of our interviews and contains no information that personally identifies you or the company where you work. Is it okay if I record this interview?
Do you have any questions?
Let’s begin by talking about your oil and/or gas well:
How long has this company been operating this oil and/or gas well?
How many oil wells do you operate?
How many gas wells do you operate?
How does your company define/distinguish an oil well from a gas well? What criteria does your company use? (E.g., a gas-to-oil ratio threshold?)
Does your company have other business activities?
What is your role at this company?
What is your title?
How long have you been at this company?
What are your responsibilities?
Are you in charge of government reporting? (If not, who is?)
Do you currently complete any government forms? Can you tell me more about the other forms for which you report?
(If needed) Do you complete any regulatory forms, State and/or Federal?
(If needed) Do you complete any other EIA forms?
(If needed) Are the data that you submit on the EIA-914 reported on any other government forms? These may be forms from EIA, other federal agencies, or state agencies.
Do you generally have the data needed to report for these forms, or do you work with others to gather this data?
How do you usually submit these other reports? (electronically, fax, mail, email)
Do you fill out these other forms manually (i.e., pen and paper) or is it automated using a computer program?
In the interest of time, we are going to first ask you only about the new API Gravity questions.
Please take a few minutes to look over Part 3 of the EIA-914 form.
Looking at the graphic at the top of the page, can you tell me in your own words what this graphic is showing?
What do you think is the purpose of this graphic?
Now please take a moment to look over the instructions.
Have you heard of the term “8/8ths Basis?”
Now let’s look at Item 3.1.
Can you tell me in your own words what this question is asking?
How would you answer this question?
(If needed) Do you have these data in your records?
(If yes) How are these data kept in your records?
(If needed) Is crude oil and lease condensate tracked together or separately in your records?
(If needed) Would you need to talk to someone else to get this information?
(If yes) Who is this person? What is their title?
(If needed) Can you report this information for all of the states and region listed?
If asked, could you report the sulfur content of the crude oil and lease condensate being produced? (If yes) How is this kept in your records?
Next, let’s look at Item 3.2.
Can you tell me in your own words what this question is asking?
Are you familiar with the term “API Gravity?”
How would you answer this question?
(If needed) Can you report these categories?
(If needed) Do you have these data in your records?
(If yes) How are these data kept in your records?
(If needed) Would you need to talk to someone else to get this information?
(If yes) Who is this person? What is their title?
(If needed) Can you report this information for all of the states and region listed?
How does 3.2 compare to 3.1?
Next, we’d like to briefly ask you about a few questions in Part 1 of the 914.
First, look at Item 1.7.
Can you tell me in your own words what this question is asking?
How would you answer this question?
Do you have access to this information in your records?
(If no) How easy or difficult would it be to get this information?
Next, look at Item 1.8.
Can you tell me in your own words what this question is asking?
How would you answer this question?
Do you have access to this information in your records?
(If no) How easy or difficult would it be to get this information?
Finally, we have a few more questions about Part 2 of the 914.
Please take a few minutes to look over Part 2 of the form.
First, looking at the graphic at the top of the page, can you tell me in your own words what this graphic is showing?
What do you think is the purpose of this graphic?
Now please take a moment to look over the instructions.
On page 4, do your company’s records measure natural gas production at a pressure of 14.73 psia? Is it kept at 60 degrees Fahrenheit?
(If no) What pressure is it measured in?
Now let’s look at Item 2.1.
Can you tell me in your own words what this question is asking?
How would you answer this question?
(If needed) Do you have these data in your records?
(If needed) Can you provide natural gas lease production data for all of these states? Why or why not?
(If yes) How are these data kept in your records?
(If needed) Would you need to talk to someone else to get this information?
(If yes) Who is this person? What is their title?
(If needed) Can you report this information for all of the states and region listed?
Wrapping Up
Overall, what do you think of the new crude oil and lease condensate API Gravity questions asked in Part 3 of the form?
How long do you think it would take you to complete this survey with these new questions added?
The EIA-914 form is due 40 days after the end of the month. Is this due date feasible for your company?
Do you have any other suggestions?
Thank you for your time today!
Page
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Ken Pick |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-25 |