05-12221. Information Collection Submitted to the Office of Management and Budget Under the Paperwork Reduction Act

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has submitted the proposed collection of information listed below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). On June 8, 2004, the BLM published a notice in the Federal Register (69 FR 32039) requesting comments on this proposed collection. The comment period ended on August 9, 2004. The BLM received no comments. You may obtain copies of the proposed collection of information and related forms and explanatory material by contacting the BLM Information Collection Clearance Officer at the telephone number listed below.

The OMB is required to respond to this request within 60 days but may respond after 30 days. For maximum consideration your comments and suggestions on the requirement should be made within 30 days directly to the Office of Management and Budget, Interior Department Desk Officer (1004-0185), at OMB-OIRA via facsimile to [phone] or e-mail to [e-mail]. Please provide a copy of your comments to the Bureau Information Collection Clearance Officer (WO-630), Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States Office, 7450 Boston Blvd., Springfield, Virginia 22153.

Nature of Comments: We specifically request your comments on the following:

1. Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper functioning of the BLM, including whether the information will have practical utility;

2. The accuracy of the BLM's estimate of the burden of collecting the information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

3. The quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and

4. How to minimize the burden of collecting the information on those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other forms of information technology.

Title: Oil and Gas Exploration, Leasing, and Drainage Operations (43 CFR 3100, 3120, 3150, 3162).

OMB Control Number: 1004-0185.

Bureau Form Number: Nonform information.

Abstract: The Bureau of Land Management proposes to extend the currently approved collection of information to determine whether applicants are qualified to conduct oil and gas exploration and leasing activities. BLM will also determine if oil and gas lessees are ensuring that their leases are protected from drainage.

Frequency: On occasion.

Description of Respondents: Individuals, small businesses, and oil and gas exploration and drilling companies, lessees, and operators.

Estimated Completion Time:

Information collection	Requirement	Number of responses	Reporting hours per respondent	Total hours
3100.3-1	Notice of option holdings	30	1	30
3100.3-3	Option statement	50	1	50
3101.2-4(a)	Excess acreage petition	10	1	10
3101.2-6	Showing statement	10	1.5	15
3101.3-1	Joinder evidence statement	50	1	50
3103.4-1	Waiver, suspension, reduction of rental, etc	20	2	40
3105.2	Communization or drilling agreement	150	2	300
3105.3	Operating, drilling, development contracts interest statement	50	2	100
3105.4	Joint operations; transportation of oil applications	20	1	20
3105.5	Subsurface storage application	50	1	50
3106.8-1	Heirs and devisee statement	40	1	40
3106.8-2	Change of name report	60	1	60
3106.8-3	Corporate merger notice	100	2	200
3107.8	Lease renewal application	30	1	30
3108.1	Relinquishments	150	.5	75
3108.2	Reinstatement petition	500	.5	250
3109.1	Leasing under rights-of-way application	20	1	20
3120.1-1(e)	Lands available for leasing	280	2.5	700
3120.1-3	Protests and appeals	90	1.5	135
3152.1	Oil and gas exploration in Alaska application	20	1	20
3152.6	Data collection	20	1	20
3152.7	Completion of operations report	20	1	20
Totals		1,770		2,235

The table below summarizes the burden and cost estimates.

Type of analysis	Number analyses	Hours	Cost
Preliminary	1,000	2,000	$60,000
Detailed	100	2,400	72,000
Additional	10	200	8,000
Total	1,110	4,600	140,000

Respondents submitting the drainage determination analyses and results are individuals, oil companies, and small businesses who are familiar with the collection requirements.

Annual Responses: 2,880.

Application Fee Per Response: 0.

Annual Burden Hours: 6,835.

Burden Clearance Officer: Ian Senio, [phone].

Dated: June 16, 2005.

Ian Senio,

Bureau of Land Management, Information Collection Clearance Officer.