2020-03131. Agency Information Collection Activities; Application for Permit To Modify (APM) and Supporting Documentation

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, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) proposes to renew an information collection.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before April 20, 2020.

ADDRESSES:

Send your comments on this information collection request (ICR) by either of the following methods listed below:

• Electronically go to http://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter BSEE-2019-0013 then click search. Follow the instructions to submit public comments and view all related materials. We will post all comments.
• Email [e-mail], fax [phone], or mail or hand-carry comments to the Department of the Interior; Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement; Regulations and Standards Branch; ATTN: Nicole Mason; 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, VA 20166. Please reference OMB Control Number 1014-0026 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].

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.

We are soliciting comments on the proposed ICR that is described below. We are especially interested in public comments 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. We will include or summarize each comment in our request to OMB to approve this ICR. 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: Throughout the regulations at 30 CFR part 250, BSEE requires the submission of Applications for Permit to Modify, and all supporting documentation on form BSEE-0124 that pertain to regulatory requirements of oil, gas, and sulfur operations in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) (including the associated forms), and are the subject of this collection. This request also covers any related Notices to Lessees and Operators (NTLs) that BSEE issues to clarify, supplement, or provide additional guidance on some aspects of our regulations.

The BSEE uses the information to ensure safe well control, completion, workover, and decommissioning operations and to protect the human, marine, and coastal environment. Among other things, BSEE specifically uses the information (see the burden table under A.12 to see what specific information BSEE collects) to ensure: The well control, completion, workover, and decommissioning unit (drilling/well operations) is fit for the intended purpose; equipment is maintained in a state of readiness and meets safety standards; each drilling/well operation 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 the 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.

Title of Collection: 30 CFR part 250, Application for Permit to Modify (APM) and supporting documentation.

OMB Control Number: 1014-0026.

Form Number: BSEE-0124.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents/Affected Public: Potential respondents are comprised of Federal OCS oil, gas, and sulfur lessees/operators and holders of pipeline rights-of-way.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: Not all the potential respondents will submit information at any given time, and some may submit multiple times.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 12,252.

Estimated Completion Time per Response: Varies from 10 minutes to 154 hours, depending on activity.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 17,353.

Respondent's Obligation: Responses are mandatory.

Frequency of Collection: On occasion and varies by section.

Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $6,446,500.

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).

Amy White,

Acting Chief, Regulations and Standards Branch.