Document

Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Application for Permit To Modify (APM) and Supporting Documentation

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) proposes to renew an information collection.

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
  1. [Docket ID BSEE-2025-0266; EEEE500000-256E1700D2-ET1SF0000.EAQ000; OMB Control Number 1014-0026]

AGENCY:

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Interior.

( printed page 60149)

ACTION:

Notice of information collection; request for comment.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) 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 October 21, 2026.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function. Please provide a copy of your comments to Kelly Odom, Acting BSEE ICCO, 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, VA 20166; or by email to . Please reference OMB Control Number 1014-0026 in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request additional information about this ICR, contact Kelly Odom by email at , or by telephone at (703) 787-1775. Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay services offered within their country to make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States. You may also view the ICR at www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

In accordance with the PRA and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), 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.

A Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on December 22, 2025 (90 FR 59865).

As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burdens, we are again soliciting comments from the public and other Federal agencies on the proposed ICR that is described below. We are especially interested in public comment addressing the following:

(1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether or not the information will have practical utility;

(2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4) How might the agency minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of response.

Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of public record. 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: The regulations at 30 CFR 250 stipulate the various requirements that must be submitted with an APM. The form and the numerous submittals that are included and/or attached to the form are the subject of this collection. This request also covers related Notices to Lessees and Operators (NTLs) that BSEE issues to clarify, supplement, or provide additional guidance on some aspects of our regulations.

The BSEE uses the information to ensure safe well control, completion, workover, and decommissioning operations and to protect the human, marine, and coastal environment. Among other things, BSEE specifically uses the information to ensure: the well control, completion, workover, and decommissioning unit (drilling/well operations) is fit for the intended purpose; equipment is maintained in a state of readiness and meets safety standards; each drilling/well operation 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 the 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.

Title of Collection:30 CFR part 250, Application for Permit to Modify (APM) and supporting documentation.

OMB Control Number: 1014-0026.

Form Number: BSEE-0124.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents/Affected Public: Potential respondents include Federal OCS oil, gas, and sulfur lessees and/or operators and holders of pipeline rights-of-way.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: Currently there are approximately 555 Federal OCS oil, gas, and sulfur lessees and holders of pipeline rights-of-way. Not all the potential respondents will submit information in any given year, and some may submit multiple times.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 12,388.

Estimated Completion Time per Response: Varies from 0 minutes to 6,252 hours, depending on activity.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 31,472.

Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.

Frequency of Collection: Generally, on occasion and varies by section.

Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $5,483,295. ( printed page 60150)

Citation 30 CFR 250 APM's Reporting or recordkeeping requirement * Hour burden Average number of annual responses Average number of annual responses
Non-hour cost burdens
Subparts D, E, F, G, H, Q Submit APM plans (BSEE-0124). (This burden represents only the filling out of the form, the requirements are listed separately below) 1 hour 1,471 applications 1,471
1,471 applications × $145 application fee = $213,295.
Subparts D, E, F, G, H, Q Submit Revised APM plans (BSEE-0124). (This burden represents only the filling out of the form, the requirements are listed separately below) [no fee charged] 1 hour 2,235 applications 2,235
Subtotal 3,706 responses 3,706
$213,295 non-hour cost burdens.
Subpart A
125 Submit evidence of your fee for services receipt Exempt under 5 CFR 1320.3(h). 0
197 Written confidentiality agreement Exempt under 5 CFR 1320.5(h). 0
199 PRA List of Information Collections (IC) Exempt under 5 CFR 1320.5(h). 0
Subpart B
201 Approved before well completion Exempt under 5 CFR 1320.3(h). 0
220(b) The DWOP process does not replace the requirements of BSEE's APMs Exempt under 5 CFR 1320.3(h). 0
226 New or Unusual Conception Plan must be approved prior to APM Exempt under 5 CFR 1320.3(h). 0
Subpart D
460(a); 465 There are some regulatory requirements that give respondents the option of submitting information with either their APD or APM; industry advised us that when it comes to this particular subpart, they submit a Revised APD Burden covered under 30 CFR 250, 1014-0025. 0
Subtotal of Subpart D 0 responses 0
Subpart E
513 Obtain written approval for well-completion operations. Submit information, including but not limited to, request for completion (including changes); description of well-completion procedures; statement of expected surface pressure, type and weight of completion fluids; schematic drawing; a partial electric log; H2S presence or if unknown, service fee receipt 1 hour 150 submittals 150
518(f) Submit descriptions and calculations of production packer setting depth(s) 2.25 hours 43 submittals 97
526(a) Submit a notification of corrective action of the diagnostic test 0 mins 58 notifications 0
Subtotal of Subpart E 251 responses 247
Subpart F
613(a), (b) Request approval to begin other than normal workover, which includes description of procedures, changes in equipment, schematic, info about H2S, etc 5.25 hour 687 requests 3,607
613(c) If completing a new zone, submit reason for abandonment and statement of pressure data 2.5 hours 167 submittals 418
613(d) Submit work as performed 30 days after completing the well-workover operation 2 hours 646 submittals 1,292
619(f) Submit descriptions and calculations of production packer setting depth(s) 1.38 hours 43 submittals 59
Subtotal of Subpart F 1,543 responses 5,376
Subpart G
701 Identify and discuss your proposed alternate procedures or equipment [the request to use alternative procedures/equipment is covered under 1014-0022] 3.25 hours 67 submittals 218
702 Identify and discuss the departure from requirements [the request to depart from requirements is covered under 1014-0022] 1.75 hours 47 submittals 82
713 Submit required information to use a MODU for well operations, including fitness & foundation requirements, contingency plan for moving off location, current monitoring (description of specific current speeds & specific measures to curtail rig operations and move off location) 1.5 hours 180 Submittals 270
720(b) Obtain approval to displace kill weight fluid with detailed step-by-step written procedures that include, but are not limited to, number of barriers, tests, BOP procedures, fluid volumes entering and leaving wellbore procedures 1.5 hours 129 submittals 194
721(g) Request approval for test procedures and criteria for a successful negative pressure test, including any changes 1 hour 325 requests 325
731 Submit complete description of BOP system and components; schematic drawings; certification by ITP (additional ITP if BOP is subsea, in HTHP, or surface on floating facility); autoshear, deadman, EDS systems 5 hours 170 submittals 850
$31,000 × 170 submittals = $5,270,000.
732(b) and (c) Submit independent third party qualifications to BSEE with the associated permit application 4.25 1,471 6,252
733 Description of annulus monitoring plan and how you will secure the well in the event a leak is detected 0.5 hour 212 submittals 106
737(d)(2) Submit test procedures for District Manager approval for initial test when using water on surface BOP 0.5 hour 41 submittals 21
( printed page 60151)
737(d)(3) Submit test procedures for District Manager approval to stump test a subsea BOP; including how you will test each ROV function for approval 0.5 hour 39 submittals 20
737(d)(4) Submit test procedures for District Manager approval to perform an initial subsea BOP test; including how you will test each ROV function for approval 0.5 hour 41 submittals 21
737(d)(12) Submit test procedures for District Manager approval, including schematics of the actual controls and circuitry of the system used during an actual autoshear or deadman event 1 hour 223 submittals 223
738(m) Request approval from District Manager to utilize other well-control equipment; include report from BAVO on equipment design & suitability; other information required by District Manager 2 hours 266 requests 532
738(n) Indicate which pipe/variable bore rams have no current utility or well-control purposes 0.75 hour 223 submittals 167
750(a) Request approval to conduct operations without downhole check valves, describe alternate procedures and equipment 1.5 hours 640 requests 960
Subtotal of Subpart G 4,074 responses 10,241
$5,270,000 non-hour costs burden.
Subpart H
813 May submit an APM for approval to equip a dry tree well with a subsurface-controlled SSSV 0 0
817(a) You may remove a wireline subsurface safety device for a routine operation not requiring approval of a AMP 0 0
828(b) Well must not be open to flow while an SSSV is inoperable, unless specifiallly approved by an APM 0 0
Subtotal of Subpart H 0 responses 0
Subpart Q
1704 Request approval of well abandonment operations 4.25 hours 604 requests 2,567
1704(h) Submit with a final well schematic, description, nature and quantities of material used; relating to casing string—description of methods used, size and amount of casing and depth 3.13 hours 368 submittals 1,152
1712; 1704(h) Obtain and receive approval before permanently plugging a well or zone. Include in request, but not limited to, reason plugging well, with relevant information; well test and pressure data; type and weight of well control fluid; a schematic listing mud and cement properties; plus testing plans. Submit Certification by a Registered Professional Engineer of the well abandonment design and procedures; certify the design 5.25 hours 215 certifications 1,129
Obtain and receive approval before permanently plugging a well or zone. Include in request, but not limited to max surface pressure and determination; description of work; well depth, perforated intervals; casing and tubing depths/details, plus locations, types, lengths, etc 2.75 hours 375 submittals 1,031
1721; 1704(h) Submit the applicable information required to temporarily abandon a well for approval; after temporarily plugging a well, submit well schematic, description of remaining subsea wellheads, casing stubs, mudline suspension equipment and required information of this section; submit certification by a Registered Professional Engineer of the well abandonment design and procedures; certify design 5.25 hours 1,094 submittals 5,744
1722(a) Request approval to install a subsea protective device 1.25 hours 15 requests 19
1723(b) Submit a request to perform work to remove casing stub, mudline equipment, and/or subsea protective covering 1.75 hours 138 requests 242
1743(a) Submit signed certification; date of verification work and vessel; area surveyed; method used; results of survey including debris or statement that no objects were recover; a post-trawling plot or map showing area 3.63 hours 5 certifications 18
Subtotal of Subpart Q 2,814 responses 11,902
Total Burden 12,388 responses 31,472
$5,483,295 non-hour cost burdens.

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.).

Kirk Malstrom,

Chief, Regulations and Standards Branch.

[FR Doc. 2026-19291 Filed 9-21-26; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-VH-P

Legal Citation

Federal Register Citation

Use this for formal legal and research references to the published document.

91 FR 60148

Web Citation

Suggested Web Citation

Use this when citing the archival web version of the document.

“Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Application for Permit To Modify (APM) and Supporting Documentation,” thefederalregister.org (September 22, 2026), https://thefederalregister.org/documents/2026-19291/agency-information-collection-activities-submission-to-the-office-of-management-and-budget-for-review-and-approval-appli.