Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of revision of a currently approved information

collection.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and

respondent burden, we invite the public and other Federal agencies to

comment on a proposal to revise the previously approved collection of

information discussed below. The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA)

provides that 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 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

DATES: Submit written comments by October 19, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to the Rules Processing Team,

Minerals Management Service, Mail Stop 4024, 381 Elden Street, Herndon,

Virginia 20170-4817.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexis London, Rules Processing Team,

telephone (703) 787-1600. You may also contact Alexis London to obtain

a copy of the proposed collection of information at no cost.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Form MMS-131, Performance Measures for OCS Operators.

OMB Control Number: 1010-0112.

Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), at 43

U.S.C. 1331 et seq., requires the Secretary of the Interior to

preserve, protect, and develop oil and gas resources on the Outer

Continental Shelf (OCS); make such resources available to meet the

Nation's energy needs as rapidly as possible; balance orderly energy

resource development with protection of the human, marine, and coastal

environment; ensure the public a fair and equitable return on the

resources offshore; and preserve and maintain free enterprise

competition.

In a collaborative effort with representatives of 17 oil and gas

companies, representatives of five trade associations (American

Petroleum Institute, Offshore Operators Committee, International

Petroleum Association of America, International Association of Drilling

Contractors, and National Ocean Industries Association), and the Coast

Guard, we developed a set of performance measures intended to (1)

determine if OCS safety and environmental performance is improving over

time through the implementation of the Safety and Environmental

Management Program (SEMP) on the OCS, (2) provide an industry average

and range for various quantitative measures against which companies can

compare themselves, (3) give us assurance that an operator's safety and

environmental performance is improving, and (4) provide comparison data

on which companies with good performance can base their requests for

MMS approval of alternative approaches to compliance with its

regulatory objectives. Like the implementation of SEMP, participation

in the performance measures effort is voluntary.

However, the quality of the information that we garner from

analysis of the data depends on the widespread support of this effort.

Based upon our experience this first year, and the comments and

suggestions from respondents, we propose to revise Form MMS-131 to

remove certain data elements that require OCS operators to perform

calculations that we can easily do. The only proposed substantive

revision is to revise the form to clarify that respondents report all

permit violations under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination

System permit issued by the Environmental Protection Agency. This data

element was previously, and erroneously, restricted to permit

exceedences. Exceedences are a subcategory of non-compliances but

information for both categories is obtained from the same source--the

operator's monthly Discharge Monitoring Report.

The data elements on the revised form are:

[[Page 44272]]

(a) Separated by Production Operations; Drilling and Workover

Operations (including Allied Services); and Construction Operations:

Number of company employee recordable accidents,

Number of contract employee recordable accidents,

Number of company employee lost time accidents,

Number of contract employee lost time accidents,

Company employee hours worked,

Contract employee hours worked,

(b) By totals:

Number of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National

Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) reported non-

compliances,

Oil spills <1 bbl by number and volume.

We use the information collected to work with industry

representatives to identify ``pacesetter'' companies and ask them to

make presentations at periodic best practice sharing workshops. We can

better focus regulatory and research programs on areas where the

performance measures indicate that operators are having difficulty

meeting our expectations. We are more effective in leveraging resources

by redirecting research efforts, promoting appropriate regulatory

initiatives, and shifting inspection program emphasis. The performance

measures also give us a verifiable gauge against which to judge the

reasonableness of company requests for our approval of alternative

approaches to comply with our regulatory objectives. They also provide

a starting point for the dialog in the annual performance review

meetings between company management and us.

Company management use the information to understand how the

offshore operators are doing as a group and where their own company

ranks. It provides information for them to know on what areas to focus

their continuous improvement efforts. This should lead to more cost-

effective prevention actions. Offshore operators and organizations use

the information as a credible data source to demonstrate to those

outside the industry how the industry and individual companies are

performing.

If respondents submit confidential or proprietary information, we

will protect such information in accordance with the Freedom of

Information Act; 30 CFR 250.118, Data and information to be made

available to the public; and 30 CFR Part 252, OCS Oil and Gas

Information Program. No items of a sensitive nature are involved. The

requirement to respond is voluntary.

Frequency: Annual basis in the first quarter of the calendar year.

Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: 100 Federal OCS

oil and gas or sulphur lessees and operators.

Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour''Burden: 8-16 burden

hours per response. The previous estimate was 28 hours per response;

however, we expected this to decrease after respondents became more

familiar with the performance measures. Several companies informally

indicated that the burden was not significant for the first report and

would be even less now that they are set up to report the information.

In parenthesis are the estimates reported to us by two major companies

(4 and 10 hours), two small companies (1 and 4 hours), and 1 very small

operator (unsure but possibly several days) that we contacted.

Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Cost'' Burden: We have

identified no cost burdens on respondents for providing this

information.

Comments: We will summarize written responses to this notice and

address them in our submission for OMB approval. All comments are

public record. In calculating the burden, we may have assumed that

respondents maintain much of the information collected in the normal

course of their activities, and we considered that to be usual and

customary business practice.

(1) The MMS specifically solicits comments on the following

questions:

(a) Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the

proper performance of MMS's functions, and will it be useful?

(b) Are the estimates of the burden hours of the proposed

collection reasonable?

(c) Do you have any suggestions that would enhance the quality,

clarity, or usefulness of the information to be collected?

(d) Is there a way to minimize the information collection burden on

those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate

automated electronic, mechanical, or other forms of information

technology?

(2) In addition, the PRA requires agencies to estimate the total

annual cost burden to respondents as a direct result of this collection

of information. The MMS needs your comments on this item. Your response

should split the cost estimate into two components: (a) total capital

and startup cost component; and (b) annual operation, maintenance, and

purchase of services component. Your estimates should consider the

costs to generate, maintain, and disclose or provide the information.

You should describe the methods you use to estimate major cost factors,

including system and technology acquisition, expected useful life of

capital equipment, discount rate(s), and the period over which you

incur costs. Capital and startup costs include, among other items,

computers and software you purchase to prepare for collecting

information; monitoring, sampling, drilling, and testing equipment; and

record storage facilities. Do not include in your estimates equipment

or services purchased: (i) before October 1, 1995; (ii) to comply with

requirements not associated with the information collection; (iii) for

reasons other than to provide information or keep records for the

Government; or (iv) as part of customary and usual business or private

practices.

MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach,

(202) 208-7744.

Dated: August 10, 1998.

William S. Cook,

Acting Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.

[FR Doc. 98-22163 Filed 8-17-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P