2020-00991. Agency Information Collection Activities; Application for Permit to Drill (APD, Revised APD), Supplemental APD Information Sheet, and all 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 March 23, 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-2019-0010 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 1014-0025 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 in 30 CFR part 250, BSEE requires the submissions of an Application for Permit to Drill (APD, Revised APD), Supplemental APD Information Sheet, and all supporting documentation on Forms BSEE-0123 and BSEE-0123S. The BSEE uses the information 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. Furthermore, we use the information to evaluate the adequacy of a lessee's or operator's plan and equipment for drilling, sidetracking, or deepening operations. This includes the adequacy of the proposed casing design, casing setting depths, drilling fluid (mud) programs, cementing programs, and blowout preventer (BOP) systems to ascertain that the proposed operations will be conducted in an operationally safe manner that provides adequate protection for the environment. BSEE also reviews the information to ensure conformance with specific provisions of the lease. In addition, except for proprietary data, BSEE is required by the OCSLA to make available to the public certain information submitted on Forms BSEE-0123 and -0123S.

Title of Collection: 30 CFR part 250, Application for Permit to Drill (APD, Revised APD), Supplemental APD Information Sheet, and all supporting documentation.

OMB Control Number: 1014-0025.

Form Number: BSEE-0123 and BSEE-0123S.

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: 11,474.

Estimated Completion Time per Response: .5 hour to 150 hours, depending on activity.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 78,084.

Respondent's Obligation: Responses are mandatory, are are required to obtain or retain benefits.

Frequency of Collection: On occasion and varies by section.

Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $4,861,104.

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.