82 FR 42832 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Onshore Oil and Gas Operations and Production

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 175 (September 12, 2017)

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), are proposing renew an information collection with revisions.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 175 (Tuesday, September 12, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42832-42834]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-19284]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[17X.LLWO310000.L13100000.PP0000; OMB Control Number 1004-0137]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Onshore Oil and Gas 
Operations and Production

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, 
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), are proposing renew an information 
collection with revisions.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
November 13, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on this information collection request 
(ICR) by mail to the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land 
Management, 1849 C Street NW., Room 2134LM, Washington, DC 20240, 
Attention: Jean Sonneman; by email to [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 1004-0137 in the subject line of your 
comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact Subijoy Dutta by email at [email protected], or by 
telephone at 202-912-7152.

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 comment addressing the 
following issues: (1) Is the collection necessary to the proper 
functions of the BLM; (2) will this information be processed and used 
in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate of burden accurate; (4) how 
might the BLM enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (5) how might the BLM 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: Various Federal and Indian mineral leasing statutes 
authorize the BLM to grant and manage onshore oil and gas leases on 
Federal and Indian (except Osage Tribe) lands. In order to fulfill its 
responsibilities under these statutes, the BLM needs to perform the 
information collection (IC) activities set forth in the regulations at 
43 CFR parts 3160 and 3170, and in onshore oil and gas orders 
promulgated in accordance with 43 CFR 3164.1. The BLM requests renewal 
of this control number. The BLM also requests revision of this control 
number as the result of the rules and the order that are listed in the 
following table:

[[Page 42833]]



                                          Recent BLM Actions That Affect IC Activities in Control No. 1004-0137
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                                     Regulatory information
      Title of order or rule                  No.                     Federal Register citation                            Control No.
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Onshore Oil and Gas Operations;    RIN 1004-AE37              82 FR 2906 (Jan. 10, 2017)...............  1004-0213 (expires March 31, 2020).
 Federal and Indian Oil and Gas
 Leases; Onshore Oil and Gas
 Order Number 1, Approval of
 Operations (Final Order).
Onshore Oil and Gas Operations;    RIN 1004-AE15              81 FR 81356 (Nov. 17, 2016)..............  1004-0207 (expires Jan. 31, 2020).
 Federal and Indian Oil and Gas
 Leases; Site Security (Final
 Rule).
Onshore Oil and Gas Operations;    RIN 1004-AE16              81 FR 81462 (Nov. 17, 2016)..............  1004-0209 (expires Jan. 31, 2020).
 Federal and Indian Oil and Gas
 Leases; Measurement of Oil
 (Final Rule).
Waste Prevention, Production       RIN 1004-AE14              81 FR 83008 (Nov. 18, 2016)..............  1004-0211 (expires Jan. 31, 2018).
 Subject to Royalties, and
 Resource Conservation (Final
 Rule).
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    We are requesting that additions be made to control number 1004-
0137 as a result of the rules on approval of operations, site security, 
and measurement of oil. We are also requesting removal of a historic IC 
activity (``Gas Flaring'') from control number 1004-0137 because the 
waste prevention rule removed the regulatory authority for that 
activity.
    In addition to the rules and order listed above, we take note of a 
recent BLM rule on hydraulic fracturing and a recent federal district 
court ruling. On June 21, 2016, the U.S. District Court for the 
District of Wyoming set aside a BLM rule on hydraulic fracturing (80 FR 
16128 (March 26, 2015). See Wyoming v. U.S. Department of the Interior, 
Order on Petition for review of Final Agency Action, Case No. 2:15-CV/
043-SWS (D. Wyo.). Previously, the court had issued an order postponing 
the effective date of the rule. Thus, the rule never became effective, 
and its pre-approved control number (1004-0203) has never been 
activated. As a result, we are requesting continuation of the IC 
activity that would have been discontinued (and would have been 
replaced with new regulations on hydraulic fracturing) had the final 
rule become effective. That IC activity (i.e., collection of 
information on nonroutine fracturing jobs) does not at present appear 
on the list of IC activities authorized under 43 CFR 3162.3-2 
(``Subsequent Well Operations''). However, we intend to conduct a 
rulemaking in the near future to correct that omission.
    Title of Collection: Onshore Oil and Gas Operations and Production 
(43 CFR parts 3160 and 3170).
    OMB Control Number: 1004-0137.
    Form Numbers: Form 3160-3, Form 3160-4, Form 3160-5, and Form 3160-
6.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Oil and gas operators on public lands 
and some Indian lands.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 7,500.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 301,663.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: Varies from 45 minutes to 
40 hours, depending on activity.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 1,762,713.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion, except for the activities 
listed in the following table:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Type of response         Regulatory cite(s)       Frequency
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Request for Approval of a CAA..  43 CFR 3173.15....  Once.
Response to Notice of            43 CFR 3173.16....  Once.
 Insufficient CAA.
Request for Approval of an FMP   43 CFR 3173.12(d).  Once.
 for Future Measurement
 Facilities.
Request for Approval of an FMP   43 CFR 3173.12(e).  Once.
 for Existing Measurement
 Facilities.
Measurement Tickets............  43 CFR 3174.12....  Monthly.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $28,830,000.
    The following table details the individual components and 
respective hour burden estimates of this information collection 
request:

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                                                                                                    Total hours
                        Type of response                             Number of       Hours per      (column B x
                                                                     responses       response        column C)
A.                                                                            B.              C.              D.
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Application for Permit to Drill or Re-enter; 43 CFR 3162.3-1,              3,000               8          24,000
 3164.1, 3172.3-1, and Section III.A. of Onshore Order 1; Form
 3160-3 and Related Information.................................
Subsequent Well Operations; 43 CFR 3162.3-2; Form 3160-5; On              15,100               8         120,800
 Occasion.......................................................
Plan for Well Abandonment; 43 CFR 3162.3-4......................           1,500               8          12,000
Well Completion or Recompletion Report and Log; 43 CFR 3162.4-             5,000               4          20,000
 1(a), (b), (d), and (e); Form 3160-4 and Related Information...
Notification of Production Start or Resumption; 43 CFR 3162.4-             1,000               8           8,000
 1(c); Form 3160-5..............................................
Samples, Tests, and Surveys; 43 CFR 3162.4-2....................             110               8             880
Disposal of Produced Water; 43 CFR 3162.5-1(b), 3164.1, and                1,500               8          12,000
 Onshore Oil and Gas Order No. 7................................
Report of Spills, Discharges, or Other Undesirable Events; 43                215               8           1,720
 CFR 3162.5-1(c)................................................
Contingency Plan; 43 CFR 3162.5-1(d)............................              52              32           1,664
Horizontal and Directional Drilling; 43 CFR 3162.5-2(b).........           2,100               8          16,800
Well Markers; 43 CFR 3162.6.....................................           1,000               8           8,000

[[Page 42834]]

 
Notice of Staking; 43 CFR 3164.1 and Section III.C. of Onshore               300              16           4,800
 Order 1........................................................
Waiver Request; 43 CFR 3164.1 and Section III.I. of Onshore                  150               4             600
 Order 1........................................................
Application for Suspension or Other Relief; 43 CFR 3165.1.......             100              16           1,600
State Director Review; 43 CFR 3165.3(b).........................              55              16             880
Variance Requests; 43 CFR 3170.6; Form 3160-5...................             100               8             800
Site Facility Diagrams; 43 CFR 3173.11; Form 3160-5.............           9,156               8          73.248
Request for Approval of an FMP for Future Measurement                      1,000               8           8,000
 Facilities; 43 CFR 3173.12(d); Form 3160-5; One-Time...........
Request for Approval of an FMP for Existing Measurement                  166,232               8       1,329,856
 Facilities; 43 CFR 3173.12(e); Form 3160-5; One-Time...........
Modifications to an FMP; 43 FR 3173.13(b)(1); Form 3160-5.......           1,000               8           8,000
Request for Approval of a CAA; 43 CFR 3173.15; Form 3160-5 and             2,162              40          86,480
 Related Information; One-Time..................................
Response to Notice of Insufficient CAA; 43 CFR 3173.16; Form                 150              40           6,000
 3160-5 and Related Information.................................
Request to Modify or Terminate a CAA; 43 CFR 3173.18 and                     500              40          20,000
 3173.20; Form 3160-5 and Related Information...................
Request for Approval or Termination of Off-Lease Measurement; 43             166              10           1,660
 CFR 3173.23 and 3173.27; Form 3160-5 and Related Information...
Response to Notice of Insufficient Off-Lease Measurement                      15              40             600
 Approval; 43 CFR 3173.25; Form 3160-5 and Related Information..
Measurement Tickets; 43 CFR 3174.12; Monthly....................          90,000            0.75          67,500
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................................         301,663  ..............       1,762,713
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    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).

Jean Sonneman,
 Information Collection Clearance Officer, Bureau of Land Management.
[FR Doc. 2017-19284 Filed 9-11-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-84-P