Outer Continental Shelf: Operations, Current List of Notices to Lessees and Operators (NTLs) Issued by the National Office and OCS Regions

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

Outer Continental Shelf: Operations, Current List of Notices to

Lessees and Operators (NTLs) Issued by the National Office and OCS

Regions

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The MMS periodically issues NTLs to lessees and operators of

oil and gas or sulphur leases in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

This Federal Register notice: (1) informs the public, industry, and

other Government agencies of NTLs that are in effect as of November 1,

1998; (2) officially rescinds several NTLs and Letters to Lessees and

Operators (LTLs); and (3) announces a new method of numbering regional

NTLs.

ADDRESSES: You may obtain copies of NTLs through our website at

WWW.MMS.GOV or by contacting the National office or the OCS Region that

issued the NTL at the following addresses:

National Office

Minerals Management Service, Engineering and Operations Division, 381

Elden Street, Herndon, VA 20170-4817, Attention: Ms. Alexis London;

Telephone (703) 787-1600.

Alaska OCS Region

Minerals Management Service, 949 East 36th Avenue, Room 308, Anchorage,

AK 99508-4363, Attention: Ms. Christine Huffaker; Telephone (907) 271-

6621.

Gulf of Mexico (GOM) OCS Region

Minerals Management Service, 1201 Elmwood Park Blvd., New Orleans, LA

70123-2394, Attention: Mr. Michael Dorner; Telephone (504) 736-2599.

Pacific OCS Region

Minerals Management Service, 770 Paseo Camarillo, Camarillo, CA 93010-

6064, Attention: Ms. Freddie Mason; Telephone (805) 389-7566.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexis London, Engineering and

Operations Division; Telephone (703) 787-1600.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The MMS is responsible for oil and gas or

sulphur operations in the OCS to ensure operational safety and

protection of the environment. In addition to our regulations, we issue

NTLs to provide guidance and to further clarify,

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interpret, or describe regulatory requirements on a national or

regional basis. In the past we have also issued LTLs for this purpose

or to communicate information to OCS lessees and operators.

Recently issued final regulations have eliminated the need for

certain NTLs and LTLs or have required changes in others. This year we

have also updated and reissued many of our NTLs to reflect current

technologies, correct regulatory citations, and include a statement on

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 as it pertains to the NTL.

For your convenience, the following table lists the current active

NTLs issued by the National office and the OCS Regions. Therefore, if

an NTL issued before November 1, 1998, is not listed, it is canceled

and no longer in effect. However, although not listed here, those LTLs

currently in effect will remain in effect until they are superseded by

NTLs or rescinded.

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Effective

NTL No. date Title/subject

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Current Notices to Lessees and Operators Issued by the National Office

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93-1N..................................... 04/16/93 Guidelines for an Application for Certificate of Oil

Spill Financial Responsibility for Offshore

Facilities.

96-7N*.................................... 12/10/96 Civil Penalties Program (*Modified by 97-5N).

97-2N..................................... 08/01/97 Well Naming and Numbering Standards.

97-3N..................................... 08/01/97 Annual Performance Review.

97-4N..................................... 09/01/97 Civil Penalties Program Annual Summary to be Published.

97-5N*.................................... 10/07/97 Civil Penalties Program Revised Assessment Matrix

(*Modifies 96-7N).

98-1N..................................... 01/02/98 Interim Guidance for Applying Platform Design Criteria

from American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended

Practice (RP) 2A, ``Planning, Designing, and

Constructing Fixed Offshore Platforms,'' 19th Edition

(8/1/91) and 20th Edition (7/1/93) and its Supplement

1 (2/1/97).

98-2N..................................... 01/23/98 Guidance Regarding API Specification 14A,

``Specification for Subsurface Safety Valve

Equipment,'' Ninth Edition (7/1/94) and Supplement 1.

98-4N..................................... 03/04/98 Interim Guidance for Applying ``Simplified Fatigue

Analysis'' Procedure from API RP 2A.

98-5N..................................... 04/01/98 Application and Audit Fees for Requests for Royalty

Relief or Adjustment Under 30 CFR Part 203.

98-6N..................................... 04/01/98 Performance Measures for OCS Operators and Form MMS-

131.

98-7N..................................... 04/15/98* Reminder Concerning Periodic Inspection of Platforms. .

. . (*Rescind on 11/2/98).

98-8N..................................... 06/01/98 Deepwater Operations Plans.

98-9N and Addendum........................ 06/01/98* Redesignation of 30 CFR Part 250--Oil and Gas and

07/17/98 Sulphur Operations in the OCS (*Rescind on 12/31/98).

98-10N.................................... 07/01/98 Decentralization of the Lessee Training Program.

98-11N.................................... 07/01/98* Guidelines for an Application for Suspension of

Production Due to Uneconomic Market Conditions (*10/15/

98 Federal Register notice, 63 FR 55405, as corrected,

announced this NTL will be rescinded effective 1/13/

99).

98-12N.................................... 07/01/98 Determination of Pollution Inspection Frequencies for

Unmanned Facilities.

98-13N.................................... 07/01/98 Use of New or Alternative Technology and Procedures.

98-14N.................................... 07/01/98 Conservation Information.

98-15N.................................... 08/24/98* Invitation to Minerals Management Service (MMS)/

Industry Performance Measures/Best Practices Workshops

(*Rescind on 11/13/98).

98-16N.................................... 10/28/98 API Specification 6D (SPEC 6D), Specification for

Pipeline Valves (Gate, Plug, Ball, and Check Valves),

21st Edition (3/31/94), and Supplements 1 and 2.

98-17N.................................... 11/01/98 Revised Guidelines for Royalty Relief Under 30 CFR Part

203.

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No Current Notices to Lessees and Operators Issued by the Alaska OCS Region

Current Notices to Lessees and Operators Issued by the Gulf of Mexico OCS Region

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85-02..................................... 02/04/85 Effect of Drilling ``Window'' Approvals.

86-05..................................... 06/18/86 New Form for Designation of Operator.

92-02..................................... 05/28/92 Minimum Interim Requirements for Site Clearance (and

Verification) of Abandoned Oil and Gas Structures in

the GOM.

92-04..................................... 07/01/92 Interim Requirements for Oil Spill Contingency Plans

and Oil Spill Response Training and Drills.

93-04..................................... 09/30/93 OCS Functional Responsibility of New Regulations.

94-02..................................... 02/24/94 Air Emissions Reporting Requirements.

96-03..................................... 05/08/96 Guidelines for the Offshore Storage and Sub-Seabed

Disposal of Wastes Resulting from the Development and

Production of Oil and Gas on the OCS.

96-08..................................... 11/25/96 Time Allowed for the Correction of Incidents of

Noncompliance (INC's) and for the Return of

Notification of INC Forms.

96-10..................................... 12/05/96 Air Emissions Information for Application for Accessory

Platforms to Pipeline Rights-of-Way.

97-04..................................... 01/31/97 Addition of Blocks to the Thirty-fifth Drilling Window.

97-06..................................... 03/01/97 Timely Submittal of Drilling Well Records in Accordance

with 30 CFR 250.66 [Redesignated 30 CFR 250.416].

97-07..................................... 03/01/97 Revised Conditions of Approval to Drill, Sidetrack and/

or Complete for Oil and Gas Production.

97-15..................................... 06/27/98 Interim Guidance for Regional Oil Spill Response Plans.

97-16..................................... 08/01/97 Production Within 500 Feet of a Unit or Lease Line.

97-17..................................... 08/01/97 Containment Requirements for Bolted or Welded Stock

Tanks.

97-18..................................... 08/18/97 Timely Submittal of Deepwater Royalty Relief

Applications.

98-04..................................... 06/08/98 Hurricane and Tropical Storm Evacuation and Production

Curtailment Procedures.

98-05..................................... 07/01/98 Confirmation of Deepwater Royalty Relief for Leases

Issued After November 28, 1995.

98-96..................................... 08/10/98 Archaeological Requirements.

98-07..................................... 08/10/98 Procedures Regarding Activities Conducted Under

Approved Plan.

98-08..................................... 08/10/98 Meteorological Data Collection Requirements.

98-09..................................... 08/10/98 Proposed and As-Built Pipeline Location Data.

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98-10..................................... 08/10/98 Best Available Control Technology (Sulphur Dioxide).

98-11..................................... 08/10/98 Implementation of Measures to Detect and Protect Deep

Water Chemosynthetic Communities.

98-12..................................... 08/10/98 Implementation of Consistent Biological Stipulation

Measures in the Central and Western Gulf of Mexico.

98-13..................................... 08/10/98 Minimizing Oil and Gas Structures in the Gulf of

Mexico.

98-14..................................... 08/10/98 Guidelines for Reducing or Eliminating Trash and Debris

in the Gulf of Mexico.

98-15..................................... 08/10/98 Time Allowed Between Lease Holding Operations (30 CFR

250.13 [Redesignated 30 CFR 250.113]).

98-16..................................... 08/10/98 Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) Requirements.

98-17..................................... 06/30/98* Gas Volume Statement Requirements (*Rescind on 12/31/

98).

98-18..................................... 09/01/98 Change of Address for the Submittal of Certain Drilling

Records in Accordance with 30 CFR 250.416.

98-19..................................... 09/15/98 Temporary Abandonment of Wells and Maintenance,

Protection and Removal of Underwater Casing Stubs.

98-20..................................... 09/15/98 Shallow Hazards Requirements.

98-21..................................... 09/15/98 Environmental Information Guidelines for OCS Plans.

98-22..................................... 10/05/98 Reorganization of the Office of Field Operations to

Activate the Lake Charles District, Realign the

District Boundaries, and Establish District and Pipe

Section Procedures for After-Hours, Weekend and

Holiday Calls, and Related Submittals.

98-23..................................... 10/15/98 Interim Reporting Requirements for 30 CFR 250, Subpart

K, Oil and Gas Production Rates.

98-24..................................... 10/15/98 Rate Control Section Address, Office Hours, and

Telephone Procedures.

98-25..................................... 11/01/98 Economic Assumptions for RSVP Deepwater Royalty Relief

Model.

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Current Notices to Lessees and Operators Issued by the Pacific OCS Region

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92-01..................................... 03/24/92 Warning Signs: Pipelines and Power Cables.

97-02..................................... 09/22/97 Pipeline Right-of-Way Applications and Assignment Fees:

Requirements for Filing of Lease Transfers.

98-01..................................... 03/05/98 Santa Maria District Office Phone Call Procedures and

Hours.

98-02..................................... 03/05/98 Camarillo District Office Phone Call Procedures and

Hours.

98-04..................................... 07/01/98 Gas Volume Statement Requirements.

98-05..................................... 08/04/98 Archaeological Survey and Report Requirements.

98-06..................................... 08/04/98 Change of Ownership/Operatorship of Leases and

Pipeline.

98-07..................................... 08/04/98 Helideck Closures.

98-08..................................... 08/04/98 Biological Survey Criteria.

98-09..................................... 08/11/98 Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) Requirements.

98-10..................................... 08/21/98 Liquid Royalty Measurement Facilities.

98-11..................................... 08/31/98 Submission of Digitized Well Log Data on Magnetic Tape.

98-12..................................... 08/11/98 Guidelines for Shallow Hazards and Report Requirements

for Exploration Drilling.

98-13..................................... 08/11/98 Guidelines for Shallow Hazards and Report Requirements

for OCS Development Operations.

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You are advised that effective with the publication of this notice,

we are officially rescinding the following previously issued NTLs and

LTLs that are no longer current, have served their purpose, or because

recently revised regulations and policies have eliminated the need for

them.

National Office

93-02N--Liability of Assignors, Assignees, and Colessees for

Plugging and Removal Property on Termination of An Outer Continental

Shelf Oil and Gas Lease.

95-01N--Suspension of Requirements for Updating Safety and

Pollution Prevention Equipment Inventory Lists.

96-02N--Reporting Oil Spills.

97-01N--Blowout Preventer (BOP) Requirements.

Alaska OCS Region

82-01--Interim Minimum Requirements for Marking of Equipment.

86-02--Preliminary and Other Activities Conducted on Leased Lands--

Beaufort Sea.

89-01--Minimizing Potential for Incidental Taking of Polar Bear and

Walrus During Preliminary and Other Activities Conducted on Leased

Areas in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas.

89-02--Preliminary Activities, Shallow Hazards Geophysical Surveys

and Geotechnical Evaluations.

Gulf of Mexico OCS Region

73-03--The Use of Polychlorinated Biphenols (PCB's).

88-02--Submission of List of Safety and Pollution-Prevention

Equipment.

88-03--Information to Be Made Available to the Public on the

Reports Required in Subpart K of 30 CFR Part 250.

89-05--Timelapse in Exploratory Drilling Operations Not to Exceed

180 Days for Deepwater (400 Meters or Deeper) Leases.

89-07--Supplemental Bonds.

91-01--Submittal of Electric, Radioactive, and Other Well Bore

Surveys.

91-06--Notice to the Designated Operators of Liquid Royalty

Measurement Facilities.

93-05--Procedures and Policies Concerning Transition Period for Use

of the New Semiannual Well Test Report Form.

96-04--Air Pollutant Emissions Reporting Requirements.

96-05--Departures for Testing Blowout Preventers (BOP).

97-01--Air Pollution Emissions Reporting Requirement.

97-05--Incorporation by Reference into the MMS Regulations of API

RP 2A Nineteenth Edition, August 1, 1991, for Planning, Designing, and

Constructing Fixed Offshore Platforms.

97-11--Special Security Handling of Well Logs and Data Generated

from Oil and Gas Leases.

LTL dated 07/20/95--Requests for Suspensions of Operations Based on

Rig Delays.

LTL dated 07/25/96--Suspensions of Productions/Operations Program

Overview.

Pacific OCS Region

80-02--Minimum Requirements for Environmental Reports.

88-05--Requirements for Exploratory Operations OCS California.

97-03--Invitation to Workshop.

98-03--Invitation to Royalty Relief Workshop.

LTL dated 06/26/95--Contacts and Functional Directory.

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LTL dated 02/15/96--Guidelines for the Application, Review,

Approval and Administration of the Royalty Relief Program.

This notice also advises you that beginning in January 1999, we

will include a letter designation in regional as well as National NTL

numbers to avoid possible confusion with duplicate numbers. The letter

designation before the NTL number will indicate whether it applies on a

National basis or to which specific Region it pertains. For example:

NTL 99-N01 will apply on a National basis.

NTL 99-A01 will pertain only to the Alaska OCS Region.

NTL 99-G01 will pertain only to the Gulf of Mexico OCS

Region.

NTL 99-P01 will pertain only to the Pacific OCS Region.

Dated: October 30, 1998.

Michael C. Hunt,

Acting Associate Director for Offshore Minerals Management.

[FR Doc. 98-30131 Filed 11-9-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P