SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, BOEM provides the general public and other Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This helps BOEM assess the impact of its information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. It also helps the public understand BOEM's information collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format.

Title of Collection: “Oil and Gas Production in the Outer Continental Shelf.”

Abstract: This ICR addresses regulations under 30 CFR part 550, subparts A and K, which deal with regulatory requirements of oil, gas, and sulfur operations on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). This request also covers the related notices to lessees and operators (NTLs) that BOEM issues to clarify and provide guidance on some aspects of its regulations, and forms BOEM-0127, BOEM-0140, BOEM-1123, and BOEM-1832.

The OCS Lands Act, as amended (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.), authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to prescribe rules and regulations to administer leasing of the OCS and all operations conducted under a lease. Leasing on the OCS must balance orderly energy resource development with protection of the human, marine, and coastal environments; ensure the public receives fair market value for the resources of the OCS; and preserve and maintain market competition.

BOEM uses the information collected under these regulations to ensure that leasing and operations on the OCS are carried out in a safe and environmentally sound manner, do not interfere with the rights of other users on the OCS, and balance the protection and development of OCS resources.

OMB Control Number: 1010-0114.

Form Number:

• BOEM-0127, “Sensitive Reservoir Information Report;”
• BOEM-0140, “Bottomhole Pressure Survey Report;”

BOEM-1123, “Designation of Operator;” and ( printed page 73033)

• BOEM-1832, “Notification of Incidents of Noncompliance.”

Type of Review: Renewal of a currently approved information collection.

Respondents/Affected Public: Federal oil, gas, or sulfur lessees and operators.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 5,621 responses.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 27,849 hours.

Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.

Frequency of Collection: On occasion, monthly.

Total Estimated Annual Non-Hour Burden Cost: $165,492.

Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: The current annual burden for this collection is 18,323 hours and 5,302 responses. BOEM proposes to increase the annual burden to 27,849 hours and 5,621 responses. BOEM conducted public outreach regarding the industry's recommendation to increase the number of static bottomhole pressure surveys, which is expected to cause an increase in sensitive reservoir information reports. Based on industry recommendations, BOEM is asking OMB for approval of an additional 9,526 annual burden hours and 319 responses.

The following table details the individual components and respective burden hour estimates of this ICR.

( printed page 73035)

A Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period on this proposed ICR was published on August 1, 2022 (87 FR 46992). BOEM did not receive any comments during that comment period.

BOEM is again soliciting comments on the proposed ICR. BOEM is especially interested in public comments addressing the following issues: (1) is the collection necessary to the proper functions of BOEM; (2) what can BOEM do to ensure that this information is processed and used in a timely manner; (3) is the burden estimate accurate; (4) how might BOEM enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (5) how might BOEM minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, including minimizing the burden through the use of information technology?

Comments submitted in response to this notice are a matter of public record and will be available for public review on www.reginfo.gov. You should be aware that your entire comment—including your address, phone number, email address, or other personally identifiable information included in your comment—may be made publicly available. Even if BOEM withholds your information in the context of this ICR, your comment is subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). If your comment is requested under the FOIA, your information will only be withheld if BOEM determines that a FOIA exemption to disclosure applies. BOEM will make such a determination in accordance with the Department of the Interior's (DOI's) FOIA regulations and applicable law.

In order for BOEM to consider withholding from disclosure your personally identifiable information, you must identify, in a cover letter, any information contained in your comments that, if released, would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of your personal privacy. You must also briefly describe any possible harmful consequence of the disclosure of information, such as embarrassment, injury, or other harm.

Note that BOEM will make available for public inspection all comments on www.reginfo.gov, in their entirety, submitted by organizations and businesses or by individuals identifying themselves as representatives of organizations or businesses.

BOEM protects proprietary information in accordance with FOIA (5 U.S.C. 552), DOI's implementing regulations (43 CFR part 2), and 30 CFR parts 550 and 552 promulgated pursuant to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1352(c)).

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number.

The authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

87 FR 73032