BSEE Permit to Drill Information Collection Renewal Under Paperwork Reduction Act

Content

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 June 23, 2026.

ADDRESSES:

Send your comments on this information collection request (ICR) by either of the following methods listed below:

• Electronically go to http://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter BSEE-2025-0299 then click search. Follow the instructions to submit public comments and view all
related materials. We will post all comments.

• Email Kelly.Odom@bsee.gov, or mail or hand-carry comments to the Department of the Interior; Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement; Regulations
and Standards Branch; ATTN: Kelly Odom; 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, VA 20166. Please reference OMB Control Number 1014-0025
in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request additional information about this ICR, contact Kelly Odom by email at Kelly.Odom@bsee.gov 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 http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

In accordance with the PRA and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), all information collections require approval under the PRA. We may not
conduct, or sponsor and you are not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid
OMB control number.

As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burdens, we invite the public and other Federal agencies
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.

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. We will include or summarize each comment
in our request to OMB to approve this ICR. 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 part 250 pertain to Applications for Permit to Drill (APDs, Revised APDs), Supplemental APD Information
Sheets, and all supporting documentation that is the subject of this collection. This request also covers the 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 drilling operations and to protect the human, marine, and coastal environment.
Among other things, BSEE specifically uses the information to ensure: the drilling unit is fit for the intended purpose; the
lessee or operator will not encounter geologic conditions that present a hazard to operations; equipment is maintained in
a state of readiness and meets safety standards; each drilling 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 drilling 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.

This ICR includes Forms BSEE-0123 (APD) and BSEE-0123S (Supplemental APD Information Sheet). The BSEE uses the information
from these forms to determine the conditions of a drilling site to avoid hazards inherent in drilling operations. Specifically,
we use the information to evaluate the adequacy of a lessee's or operator's plan and equipment for drilling, sidetracking,
or deepening operations. This includes the adequacy of the proposed casing design, casing setting depths, drilling fluid (mud)
programs, cementing programs, and blowout preventer (BOP) systems to ascertain that the proposed operations will be conducted
in an operationally safe manner that provides adequate protection for the environment. BSEE also reviews the information to
ensure conformance with specific provisions of the lease. In addition, except for proprietary data, BSEE is required by the
OCSLA to make available to the public certain information submitted on Forms BSEE-0123 and BSEE-0123S.

The forms are used as described below and the type of information collected consists of the following:

BSEE-0123

Heading: BSEE uses the information described below to identify the type of proposed drilling activity for which approval is requested.

Well at Total Depth/Surface: The information is used to identify the location (area, block, lease, latitude and longitude) of the proposed drilling activity.

Significant Markers Anticipated: This information is used to identify significant geologic formations, structures and/or horizons that the lessee or operator
expects to encounter. This information, in conjunction with seismic data, is needed to correlate with other wells drilled
in the area to assess the risks and hazards inherent in drilling operations.

Question/Information: This information is used to ascertain the adequacy of the drilling fluids (mud) program to ensure control of the well, the
adequacy of the surface casing compliance with EPA offshore pollutant discharge requirements, and the proper shut in of adjacent
wells to ensure safety while moving a rig on and off a drilling location. This information is also used to determine that
the worst case discharge scenario information reflects the appropriate well and is updated if applicable. This information
is also provided in the course of electronically requesting approval of drilling operations via eWell.

BSEE-0123S

Heading: BSEE uses this information to identify the lease operator, rig name, rig elevation, water depth, type well (exploratory, development),
and the presence of H2S and other data which is needed to assess operational risks and safety.

Well Design Information: This engineering data identifies casing size, pressure rating, setting depth and current volume, hole size, mud weight, BOP
and well bore designs, formation and BOP test data, and other criteria. The information is used by BSEE engineers to verify
operational safety and ensure well control to prevent blowouts and other hazards to personnel and the environment. This form
requests data related to successive sections of the borehole as drilling proceeds toward total depth below each intermediate
casing point.

Title of Collection: 30 CFR part 250, Application for Permit to Drill (APD, Revised APD), Supplemental APD Information Sheet, and all supporting
documentation.

OMB Control Number: 1014-0025.

Form Number: Forms BSEE-0123 and BSEE-0123S.

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 550 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: 10,402.

Estimated Completion Time per Response: Varies from .5 hour to 125 hours, depending on activity.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 76,955.

Respondent's Obligation: Most responses are mandatory while others are to obtain and/or retain a benefit.

Frequency of Collection: Submitted on occasion and as required by the regulations.

Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $4,298,876.

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. 2026-08030 Filed 4-23-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-VH-P

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