2015-08265. Information Collection Activities: Well Control and Production Safety Training; Proposed Collection; Comment Request

ACTION:

60-day notice.

SUMMARY:

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), BSEE 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 a renewal to the paperwork requirements in the regulations under Subpart O, Well Control and Production Safety Training.

DATES:

You must submit comments by June 9, 2015.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments by either of the following methods listed below.

• Electronically go to http://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter BSEE-2015-0004 then click search. Follow the instructions to submit public comments and view all related materials. We will post all comments.
• Email [e-mail]. Mail or hand-carry comments to the Department of the Interior; Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement; Regulations and Standards Branch; ATTN: Cheryl Blundon, 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, VA 20166. Please reference ICR 1014-0008 in your comment and include your name and return address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cheryl Blundon, Regulations and Standards Branch at [phone] to request additional information about this ICR.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: 30 CFR part 250, subpart O, Well Control and Production Safety Training.

OMB Control Number: 1014-0008.

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 to prescribe rules and regulations necessary for the administration of the leasing provisions of the Act related to mineral resources on the OCS. Such rules and regulations will apply to all operations conducted under a lease, pipeline right-of-way, or a right-of-use and easement. 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.

In addition to the general rulemaking authority of the OCSLA at 43 U.S.C. 1334, section 301(a) of the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act (FOGRMA), 30 U.S.C. 1751(a), grants authority to the Secretary to prescribe such rules and regulations as are reasonably necessary to carry out FOGRMA's provisions. While the majority of FOGRMA is directed to royalty collection and enforcement, some provisions apply to offshore operations. For example, section 108 of FOGRMA, 30 U.S.C. 1718, grants the Secretary broad authority to inspect lease sites for the purpose of determining whether there is compliance with the mineral leasing laws. Section 109(c)(2) and (d)(1), 30 U.S.C. 1719(c)(2) and (d)(1), impose substantial civil penalties for failure to permit lawful inspections and for knowing or willful preparation or submission of false, inaccurate, or misleading reports, records, or other information. Because the Secretary has delegated some of the authority under FOGRMA to BSEE, 30 U.S.C. 1751 is included as additional authority for these requirements.

Section 1332(6) of the OCS Lands Act requires that “operations in the [O]uter Continental Shelf should be conducted in a safe manner by well trained personnel using technology, precautions, and other techniques sufficient to prevent or minimize the likelihood of blowouts, loss of well control, fires, spillages, physical obstructions to other users of the waters or subsoil and seabed, or other occurrences which may cause damage to the environment or to property or endanger life or health.”

For your information, because of the regulatory requirements in 30 CFR 250, Subpart S (SEMS), 30 CFR 250, Subpart O, audits ceased. The training audits fall under the requirements defined in § 250.1915. However, BSEE keeps Subpart O documents and regulations active because the Subpart O regulatory requirements give BSEE the authority and ability to test employees on the effectiveness of their own training program.

Regulations implementing these responsibilities are among those delegated to BSEE. The regulations under 30 CFR 250, Subpart O, pertain to well control and production safety training and pertain to training requirements for certain personnel working on the OCS and is the subject of this collection. This request also covers the related Notices to Lessees and Operators (NTLs) that BSEE issues to clarify, supplement, or provide additional guidance on some aspects of our regulations.

We will use the information collected under Subpart O regulations to ensure that workers in the OCS are properly trained with the necessary skills to perform their jobs in a safe and pollution-free manner.

In some instances, we may conduct oral interviews of offshore employees to evaluate the effectiveness of a company's training program. The oral interviews are used to gauge how effectively the companies are implementing their own training program.

No questions of a sensitive nature are asked. We protect proprietary information according to the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and DOI's implementing regulations (43 CFR 2); and under regulations at 30 CFR 250.197, Data and information to be made available to the public or for limited inspection, and 30 CFR part 252, Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Information Program. Responses are mandatory or are required to obtain or retain benefits.

Frequency: On occasion.

Description of Respondents: Potential respondents comprise Federal oil, gas, or sulphur lessees and/or operators.

Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: The currently approved annual reporting burden for this collection is 2,919 hours. In this submission, we are requesting a total of 202 burden 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.

Citation 30 CFR 250 Subpart O	Reporting and recordkeeping requirement	Hour burden	Average number of annual responses	Annual burden hours
1503(a), (c)	Develop training plans. Note: Existing lessees/respondents already have training plans developed. This number reflects development of plans for any new lessees	120	1	120
1503(d)(1)	Upon request, provide BSEE with copies of training documentation for personnel involved in well control, deepwater well control, or production safety operations within the past 5 years	16	1	16
1503(d)(2)	Upon request, provide BSEE with a copy of your training plan	16	1	16
1507(b)	Employee oral interview conducted by BSEE	2	1	2
1507(c), (d); 1508; 1509	Written testing conducted by BSEE or authorized representative	Not considered information collection under 5 CFR 1320.3(h)(7).		0
1510(b)	Revise training plan and submit to BSEE	40	1	40
250.1500-1510	General departure or alternative compliance requests not specifically covered elsewhere in subpart O	8	1	8
Total Hour Burden			1	202

Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden: We have identified no non-hour cost burdens for this collection.

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 collection is necessary or useful; (b) evaluate the accuracy 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 technology.

Agencies must also estimate the non-hour paperwork cost burdens to respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of information. Therefore, if you have other than hour burden 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. For further information on this burden, refer to 5 CFR 1320.3(b)(1) and (2), or contact the Bureau representative listed previously in this notice.

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 Procedures: 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.

Dated: April 7, 2015.

Douglas W. Morris,

Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.