83 FR 14450 - Agency Information Collection Proposed New Survey

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Energy Information Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 65 (April 4, 2018)

EIA invites public comment on the proposed collection of information, Form EIA-806, Weekly Natural Gas Liquids Report, as required under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Form EIA-806 will collect data on production and stocks of natural gas liquids (NGL) on a weekly basis. The new survey will allow EIA to improve accuracy of weekly propane production and, for the first time, allow EIA to report weekly natural gas liquids production using actual data collected from gas processing plants.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 4, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 14450]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-06866]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

 Energy Information Administration


Agency Information Collection Proposed New Survey

AGENCY: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Department of 
Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: EIA invites public comment on the proposed collection of 
information, Form EIA-806, Weekly Natural Gas Liquids Report, as 
required under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Form EIA-806 will 
collect data on production and stocks of natural gas liquids (NGL) on a 
weekly basis. The new survey will allow EIA to improve accuracy of 
weekly propane production and, for the first time, allow EIA to report 
weekly natural gas liquids production using actual data collected from 
gas processing plants.

DATES: EIA must receive all comments on this proposed information 
collection no later than June 4, 2018. If you anticipate any 
difficulties in submitting your comments by the deadline, contact the 
person listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice as soon as 
possible.

ADDRESSES: 
    Send your comments to: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EI-
25 Room BG-041, 1000 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20585, Attn: 
Sasha Abdalla.
    If you prefer, you can email your comments to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you need additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument, send your request to 
Sasha Abdalla at 202-287-6323 or email it to [email protected]. The 
draft form and instructions are available at https://www.eia.gov/survey/#eia-806.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This information collection request 
contains:
    (1) OMB No.: New Survey;
    (2) Information Collection Request Title: Weekly Natural Gas 
Liquids Report;
    (3) Type of Request: New;
    (4) Purpose: Weekly petroleum and biofuels supply surveys are used 
to gather data on petroleum refinery operations, blending, biofuels 
production, inventory levels, and imports of crude oil, petroleum 
products, and biofuels from samples of operating companies, with the 
sampling frame and sampled companies being different for the various 
surveys. EIA's Office of Petroleum and Biofuels Statistics (PBS) 
proposes to begin collecting weekly production and inventory of natural 
gas liquids (NGL) from operators of natural gas processing plants and 
inventory data from operators of natural gas liquids fractionation 
plants using a new Form EIA-806 ``Weekly Natural Gas Liquids Report.'' 
Data collected on Form EIA-806 will be comparable but less detailed 
than the data collected on Form EIA-816 ``Monthly Natural Gas Liquids 
Report''. Implementing Form EIA-806 will allow EIA to improve 
timeliness and accuracy of product supplied data in the Weekly 
Petroleum Status Report in order to better support policy and business 
decisions relating to the natural gas processing industry and NGL 
markets such as heating fuels, transportation fuels, and 
petrochemicals. Production of NGL from gas processors has increased in 
recent years, and EIA projections show continued growth of natural gas 
liquids production through 2025. Form EIA-806 will allow EIA to improve 
the accuracy of weekly propane production and, for the first time, 
allow EIA to report weekly natural gas liquids production using actual 
data collected from gas processing plants. Current Weekly Petroleum 
Status Report (WPSR) methodology uses the last-available NGL production 
reported in the Petroleum Supply Monthly (PSM) as a constant value 
until a new PSM number is published. Form EIA-806 will provide weekly 
estimates of total NGL production based on actual values. These weekly 
estimates will replace the monthly values that are derived from data 
reported on Form EIA-816. EIA estimates the burden per response to Form 
EIA-806 to be thirty (30) minutes. NGL production from gas processing 
plants is used in the WPSR calculation of U.S. total petroleum demand. 
Annual NGL production from gas processing plants increased as a percent 
of U.S. total petroleum demand from just under 10 percent in 2000 to 
nearly 18 percent in 2016.
    (5) Annual Estimated Number of Respondents: 275;
    (6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: 14,300;
    (7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: 7,150;
    (8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: The 
cost of the burden hours is estimated to be $541,183.50 (7,150 burden 
hours times $75.69 per hour). EIA estimates that respondents will have 
no additional costs associated with the surveys other the burden hours.
    Comments are invited on whether or not: (a) The proposed collection 
of information is necessary for the proper performance of agency 
functions, including whether the information will have a practical 
utility; (b) EIA's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used, is accurate; (c) EIA can improve the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information it will collect; and (d) EIA can minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, such as 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.

    Statutory Authority:  Section 13(b) of the Federal Energy 
Administration Act of 1974, Pub. L. 93-275, codified as 15 U.S.C. 
772(b) and the DOE Organization Act of 1977, Pub. L. 95-91, codified 
at 42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 28, 2018.
Nanda Srinivasan,
Director, Office of Survey Development and Statistical Integration, 
U.S. Energy Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 2018-06866 Filed 4-3-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P