2017-22244. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Oil and Gas Drilling Operations

AGENCY:

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of information collection; request for comment.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) are proposing to renew an information collection with revisions.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before November 13, 2017.

ADDRESSES:

Send written comments on this information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget's Desk Officer for the Department of the Interior by email at [e-mail]; or via facsimile to [phone]. Please provide a copy of your comments to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement; Regulations and Standards Branch; ATTN: Nicole Mason; 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, VA 20166; or by email to [e-mail]. Please reference OMB Control Number 1014-0018 in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request additional information about this ICR, contact Nicole Mason by email at [e-mail], or by telephone at [phone]. You may also view the ICR at http://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we provide the general public and other Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. It also helps the public understand our information collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format.

A Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on July 7, 2017 (82 FR 31629). BSEE received 28 comments in response; none were germane to the Federal Register notice.

We are again soliciting comments on the proposed ICR that is described below. We are especially interested in public comment addressing the following issues: (1) Is the collection necessary to the proper functions of BSEE; (2) Will this information be processed and used in a timely manner; (3) Is the estimate of burden accurate; (4) How might BSEE enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (5) How might BSEE minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use of information technology.

Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of public record. 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.

Abstract: The regulations contained in 30 CFR 250, subpart D pertain to oil and gas drilling operations. BSEE uses the information collected under subpart D to ensure safe drilling operations and to protect the human, marine, and coastal environment. Among other things, BSEE specifically uses the information to ensure: The drilling unit is fit for the intended purpose; the lessee or operator will not encounter geologic conditions that present a hazard to operations; equipment is maintained in a state of readiness and meets safety standards; each drilling crew is properly trained and able to promptly perform well-control activities at any time during well operations; compliance with safety standards; and the current regulations will provide for safe and proper field or reservoir development, resource evaluation, conservation, protection of correlative rights, safety, and environmental protection. We also review well records to ascertain whether drilling operations have encountered hydrocarbons or H2S and to ensure that H2S detection equipment, personnel protective equipment, and training of the crew are adequate for safe operations in zones known to contain H2S and zones where the presence of H2S is unknown.

The current Subpart D regulations specify the use of forms BSEE-0125 (End of Operations Report), and BSEE-0133/0133S (Well Activity Report). The information on BSEE-0125 is used to ensure that industry has accurate and up-to-date data and information on wells and leasehold activities under their jurisdiction and to ensure compliance with approved plans and any conditions placed upon a suspension or temporary probation. It is also used to evaluate the remedial action in the event of well equipment failure or well control loss. Form BSEE-0125 is updated and resubmitted in the event the well status changes. In addition, except for proprietary data, BSEE is required by the OCS Lands Act to make available to the public certain information submitted on BSEE-0125. The BSEE uses the information on BSEE-0133/0133S to monitor the conditions of a well and status of drilling operations. We review the information to be aware of the well conditions and current drilling activity (i.e., well depth, drilling fluid weight, casing types and setting depths, completed well logs, and recent safety equipment tests and drills). The engineer uses this information to determine how accurately the lessee anticipated well conditions and if the lessee or operator is following the other approved forms that were submitted. With the information collected on BSEE-0133 available, the reviewers can analyze the proposed revisions (e.g., revised grade of casing or deeper casing setting depth) and make a quick and informed decision on the request.

Title of Collection: 30 CFR part 250, subpart D, Oil and Gas Drilling Operations.

OMB Control Number: 1014-0018.

Form Number: BSEE-0125, BSEE-0133, and BSEE-0133S.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Respondents/Affected Public: Potential respondents comprise Federal OCS oil, gas, and sulfur lessees/operators.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: Varies per requirement, not all of the potential respondents will submit information in any given year and some may submit multiple times.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 63,347.

Estimated Completion Time per Response: Varies from 15 minutes to 23 hours, depending on activity.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 83,488.

Respondent's Obligation: Responses are mandatory.

Frequency of Collection: On occasion, daily, weekly, monthly, annually, biennially, and varies by section.

Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: We have not identified any non-hour cost burdens associated with this collection of information.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

The authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq).

Dated: August 30, 2017.

Doug Morris,

Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.