81 FR 52903 - Information Collection Activities: Oil and Gas Production Measurement, Surface Commingling, and Security; Submitted for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Review; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 154 (August 10, 2016)

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) is notifying the public that we have submitted to OMB an information collection request (ICR) to renew approval of the paperwork requirements in the regulations under Subpart L, Oil and Gas Production Measurement, Surface Commingling, and Security. This notice also provides the public a second opportunity to comment on the revised paperwork burden of these regulatory requirements.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 154 (Wednesday, August 10, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52903-52907]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-18953]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement

[Docket ID BSEE-2016-0002; OMB Control Number 1014-0002; 16XE1700DX 
EEEE500000 EX1SF0000.DAQ000]


Information Collection Activities: Oil and Gas Production 
Measurement, Surface Commingling, and Security; Submitted for Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) Review; Comment Request

ACTION: 30-Day notice.

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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the 
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) is notifying the 
public that we have submitted to OMB an information collection request 
(ICR) to renew approval of the paperwork requirements in the 
regulations under Subpart L, Oil and Gas Production Measurement, 
Surface Commingling, and Security. This notice also provides the public 
a second opportunity to comment on the

[[Page 52904]]

revised paperwork burden of these regulatory requirements.

DATE: You must submit comments by September 9, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments by either fax (202) 395-5806 or email 
([email protected]) directly to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for the Department of 
the Interior (1014-0002). Please provide a copy of your comments to 
BSEE by any of the means below.
     Electronically go to http://www.regulations.gov. In the 
Search box, enter BSEE-2016-0002 then click search. Follow the 
instructions to submit public comments and view all related materials. 
We will post all comments.
     Email [email protected], fax (703) 787-1093, 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 
ICR 1014-0002 in your comment and include your name and return address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicole Mason, Regulations and 
Standards Branch, (703) 787-1607, to request additional information 
about this ICR. To see a copy of the entire ICR submitted to OMB, go to 
http://www.reginfo.gov (select Information Collection Review, Currently 
Under Review).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: 30 CFR 250, Subpart L, Oil and Gas Production Measurement, 
Surface Commingling, and Security.
    Form(s): There are no forms associated with this information 
collection.
    OMB Control Number: 1014-0002.
    Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act at 43 U.S.C. 
1334 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to prescribe rules and 
regulations necessary for the administration of the leasing provisions 
of that Act related to mineral resources on the OCS. Such rules and 
regulations will apply to all operations conducted under a lease, 
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 authority of 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.
    The Independent Offices Appropriations Act (31 U.S.C. 9701), the 
Omnibus Appropriations Bill (Pub. L. 104-133, 110 Stat. 1321, April 26, 
1996), and OMB Circular A-25, authorize Federal agencies to recover the 
full cost of services that confer special benefits. Under the 
Department of the Interior's (DOI) implementing policy, BSEE is 
required to charge fees for services that provide special benefits or 
privileges to an identifiable non-Federal recipient above and beyond 
those which accrue to the public at large. Applications for surface 
commingling and measurement are subject to cost recovery and BSEE 
regulations specify service fees for these requests.
    These authorities and responsibilities are among those delegated to 
BSEE. The regulations at 30 CFR 250, subpart L, Oil and Gas Production 
Measurement, Surface Commingling, and Security, are 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.
    Some responses are mandatory and some are required to obtain or 
retain a benefit. No questions of a sensitive nature are asked. BSEE 
will protect proprietary information according to the Freedom of 
Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and DOI's implementing regulations (43 
CFR 2); 30 CFR 250.197, Data and information to be made available to 
the public or for limited inspection; and 30 CFR part 252, OCS Oil and 
Gas Information Program.
    BSEE uses the information collected under subpart L to ensure that 
the volumes of hydrocarbons produced are measured accurately, and 
royalties are paid on the proper volumes. Specifically, BSEE needs the 
information to:
     Determine if measurement equipment is properly installed, 
provides accurate measurement of production on which royalty is due, 
and is operating properly;
     Obtain rates of production measured at royalty meters, 
which can be examined during field inspections;
     Ascertain if all removals of oil and condensate from the 
lease are reported;
     Ensure that the sales location is secure and production 
cannot be removed without the volumes being recorded;
     Review proving reports to verify that data on run tickets 
are calculated and reported accurately;
     Review gas volume statements and compare them with the Oil 
and Gas Operations Reports to verify accuracy.
    Frequency: On occasion and monthly.
    Description of Respondents: Potential respondents comprise OCS 
Federal oil, gas, or sulphur lessees and/or operators and holders of 
pipeline rights-of-way.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: The estimated 
annual hour burden for this information collection is a total of 39,905 
hours. The following chart details the individual components and 
estimated hour burdens. 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.
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 BILLING CODE 4310-VH-C
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden: We 
estimate that the non-hour cost burden for this information collection 
is

[[Page 52907]]

$322,479. These cost burdens are for filing fees associated with 
submitting requests for approval of:
     Simple applications (applications to temporarily reroute 
production for a duration not to exceed 6 months; production tests 
prior to pipeline construction; departures related to meter proving, 
well testing, or sampling frequency ($1,371 per application)).
     complex applications (creation of new facility measurement 
points (FMPs); association of leases or units with existing FMPs; 
inclusion of production from additional structures; meter updates which 
add buyback gas meters or pigging meters; other applications which 
request deviations from the approved allocation procedures ($4,056 per 
application)).
    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: Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et 
seq.) 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.
    To comply with the public consultation process, on March 7, 2016, 
we published a Federal Register notice (81 FR 11834) announcing that we 
would submit this ICR to OMB for approval. The notice provided the 
required 60-day comment period. In addition, Sec.  250.199 provides the 
OMB Control Number for the information collection requirements imposed 
by the 30 CFR 250, Subpart L regulations. The regulation also informs 
the public that they may comment at any time on the collections of 
information and provides the address to which they should send 
comments. We received no comments in response to the Federal Register 
notice.
    Public Availability of Comments: 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.
    Information Collection Clearance Officer: Nicole Mason, 703-787-
1607.

     Dated:August 4, 2016.
Robert W. Middleton,
Deputy Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. 2016-18953 Filed 8-9-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-VH-P