Outer Continental Shelf: Operations (OCS), Annual List of Notices to Lessees and Operators (NTLs)

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

Outer Continental Shelf: Operations (OCS), Annual List of Notices

to Lessees and Operators (NTLs)

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice informs the public, industry, and other Government

agencies of NTLs that are in effect as of December 9, 1999. It also

officially rescinds several Letters to Lessees and Operators (LTLs).

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

``www.mms.gov/eod/library.htm'' or by contacting the MMS National

Office or the OCS Region that issued the NTL at the following

addresses:

[[Page 69029]]

National Office: Minerals Management Service, Engineering and

Operations Division, 381 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817,

Attention: Ms. Alexis London; Telephone (703) 787-1600.

Alaska OCS Region: Minerals Management Service, 949 East 36th Avenue,

Room 308, Anchorage, Alaska 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, Louisiana 70123-2394, Attention: Mr.

Michael Dorner; Telephone (504) 736-2599.

Pacific OCS Region: Minerals Management Service, 770 Paseo Camarillo,

Camarillo, California 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, 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. In the past 2

years, we have also updated and reissued most 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. We are also in the process of reviewing the active LTLs. We have

already rescinded many LTLs (see 63 FR 63071, 11/10/98; 64 FR 25364, 5/

11/99) or have revised and reissued others as NTLs.

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 December 9, 1999, is not listed, it is canceled

and no longer in effect. Although not listed here, those LTLs that have

not yet been superseded by NTLs or officially rescinded remain in

effect until they are superseded or rescinded. To obtain a list or

copies of currently active regional LTLs, please contact the OCS Region

directly.

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NTL No. Effective date Title/subject

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Current Notices to Lessees and Operators Issued by the National Office

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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.

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

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

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.

98-16N.................................. 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.

98-18N.................................. 12/23/98 Supplemental Bond Procedures.

98-19N*................................. 12/29/98 Year 2000 (Y2K) Readiness Disclosure Statement

(*Rescission Date 1/3/2000).

99-N01.................................. 01/01/99 Guidelines for Oil Spill Financial Responsibility for

Covered Facilities.

99-N03.................................. 03/01/99 Performance Measures for OCS Operators & Form MMS-131.

99-N04.................................. 03/05/99 Revised Guidelines for Royalty Relief Under 30 CFR

Part 203.

99-N05*................................. 05/21/99 Year 2000 (Y2K) and End of Week (EOW) Compliance of

Global Positioning System (GPS) Receivers

(*Rescission Date 1/31/2000).

99-N06*................................. 05/13/99 Final Rule on MMS Appeals (*Rescission Date 6/30/

2000).

99-N07*................................. 11/23/99 1999 Industry Awards Program & Luncheon (*Rescission

Date 4/15/2000).

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

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There are no current NTLs issued by the Alaska OCS Region.

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

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

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

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.

97-06................................... 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.

97-16................................... 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.

[[Page 69030]]

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.

98-06................................... 08/10/98 Archaeological Requirements.

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

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.

98-15................................... 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.

98-18................................... 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.

98-26................................... 11/30/98 Minimum Interim Requirements for Site Clearance (and

Verification) of Abandoned Oil and Gas Structures in

the Gulf of Mexico.

98-27................................... 12/01/98 Guidelines for Eliminating Trash and Debris Resulting

from Gulf of Mexico OCS Operations.

98-28................................... 12/01/98 Drilling Windows, Eastern Gulf of Mexico.

98-29................................... 12/18/98 Announcement of Project to Clean Up Historical Well

Data.

98-29 Addendum 1........................ 03/15/99 Well Records for Information Corrected or Completed

During Project to Clean Up Historical Well Data

Exemption form Incidents of Non-compliance.

98-30................................... 03/01/99 Regional Oil Spill Response Plans.

99-G01.................................. 02/12/99 Deepwater Emergency Well Control Operations.

99-G03*................................. 03/12/99 Meteorological Data Collection and Reporting (Breton

National Wildlife Refuge/Wilderness Area)

(*Rescission Date 12/31/2000).

99-G04.................................. 03/12/99 Guidelines for General Lease Surety Bonds.

99-G05.................................. 04/26/99 Submittal of Documents for Platforms and Structures.

99-G06.................................. 05/01/99 Economic Assumptions for RSVP Deepwater Royalty Relief

Model.

99-G07.................................. 05/03/99 U.S. Air Force Communication Towers.

99-G08.................................. 05/10/99 Removing Underwater Casing Stubs.

99-G09.................................. 05/10/99 Location of Choke and Kill Lines on BOP Stacks.

99-G10.................................. 05/11/99 Designated Safe Welding and Burning Areas on Rigs.

99-G11.................................. 06/07/99 Approval of Acidizing Operations.

99-G12.................................. 06/07/99 Increased Level II Underwater Structural Inspection

Intervals.

99-G13*................................. 06/30/99 Gas Volume Statement Requirements (*Rescission Date 12/

31/99).

99-G14*................................. 06/30/99 Production Activities Information Collection and

Reporting (Breton National Wildlife Refuge/Wilderness

Area) (*Rescission Date 1/31/2001).

99-G15*................................. 06/30/99 Production Activities Information Collection and

Reporting (Western Gulf of Mexico) (*Rescission Date

1/31/2001).

99-G16.................................. 07/08/99 Live-Bottom Surveys and Reports.

99-G17.................................. 07/08/99 North American Datum 83 Implementation Plan for the

GOM.

99-G19.................................. 09/07/99 Downhole Commingling Policies.

99-G20.................................. 09/07/99 Downhole Commingling Applications.

99-G21.................................. 09/13/99 Platform Removal Applications.

99-G22.................................. 09/24/99 Guidelines for Subsea Disposal & Offshore Storage of

Solid Wastes.

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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.

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

Pipelines.

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.

98-14................................... 11/04/98 Cooperative Drilling Rig.

99-P01.................................. 07/15/99 Oil Spill Response Plans.

99-P02*................................. 08/05/99 Pipelines & Pipeline Rights-of-Way; Correction

(*Rescission Date 10/1/2000).

99-P04.................................. 11/04/99 Flaring and Venting Gas.

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[[Page 69031]]

You are advised that the Gulf of Mexico and Pacific OCS Regions are

officially rescinding the following previously issued LTLs that are no

longer current, have served their purpose, or because recently revised

regulations and policies have eliminated the need for them. With one

noted exception (*), the following LTLs are rescinded effective with

the publication of this notice.

Gulf of Mexico OCS Region

LTL dated May 30, 1989, Unannounced Oil Spill Drills--

Announcement.

LTL dated June 26, 1989, Unannounced Oil Spill Drills--

Implementation.

LTL dated August 30, 1990, Aircraft over National Wildlife

Refuges & National Parks.

LTL dated May 14, 1991, Establish Uniform Procedures for

the Designation of Structures on OCS Leases (*This LTL will be

rescinded on the same date that our revised final rule on 30 CFR 250,

subpart A becomes effective.).

LTL dated May 18, 1995, Sustained Casinghead Pressure

(SCP) Policy.

LTL dated June 6, 1995, Flower Garden Banks Sanctuary

Manager Oil Spill Notification.

Pacific OCS Region

LTL dated November 1, 1993, Office Name Change.

Dated: November 23, 1999.

Carolita U. Kallaur,

Associate Director for Offshore Minerals Management.

[FR Doc. 99-31831 Filed 12-8-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P