UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE
GULF OF MEXICO OCS REGION
| NTL No. 2000-G03 | Effective Date: January 28, 2000 |
NOTICE TO LESSEES AND OPERATORS OF FEDERAL OIL, GAS, AND SULPHUR
LEASES AND PIPELINE RIGHT-OF-WAY HOLDERS
IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF, GULF OF MEXICO OCS REGION
Functional Responsibility of MMS Regulations
This Notice to Lessees and Operators and Pipeline Right-of-way Holders (NTL) supersedes NTL 2000-G01, effective January 27, 2000. It is identical to that NTL except that it lists the office of primary functional responsibility for 30 CFR 253, Oil Spill Financial Responsibilities for Offshore Facilities, as Leasing and Environment instead of Field Operations.
The NTL 2000-G01 superseded NTL 93-04, dated September 30, 1993. Since NTL 93-04 was issued, the Minerals Management Service (MMS) has made many changes to the regulations governing OCS operations. These changes include a total redesignation (renumbering) of the 30 CFR 250 regulations and the addition of two new Parts, 30 CFR 253 and 30 CFR 254. Also, final regulations have just been published that reorganize Subpart A of 30 CFR 250 (64 FR 72756, December 28, 1999). This NTL updates the regulatory citations and functional responsibilities in the Gulf of Mexico OCS Region (GOMR) and adds a statement on the Paperwork Reduction Act.
The following table lists the citations and subject matter of the MMS regulations and provides the organizational unit in the GOMR with primary responsibility for the various functions and requirements contained therein.
REGULATION CITATION |
SUBJECT |
ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT |
30 CFR 250, OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OCS |
Subpart A, General |
| 250.104 (250.124) | Appeals | Appropriate Regional Supervisor |
| 250.107 (250.120 & 122) | Standards | Field Operations |
| 250.108 (250.120) | Cranes | Field Operations |
| 250.109-113 (250.402, 507, & 607) | Welding & burning | Field Operations |
| 250.114 (250.403, 508, & 608) | Electrical equipment | Field Operations |
| 250.115-117 (250.111) | Determination of well producibility | Resource Evaluation |
| 250.118-124 (250.114) | Injection & subsurface storage of gas | Production and Development |
| 250.130-133 (250.121) | Inspection of operations | Field Operations |
| 250.135-136 (New) | Disqualification | Regional Director |
| 250.140 (250.106) | Oral approvals | Appropriate Regional Supervisor |
| 250.141-142 (250.103) | Alternate procedures and departures | Field Operations |
| 250.143-144 (250.108) | Designation of Operator | Leasing and Environment |
| 250.145(a) (New) | Designation of agent | Leasing and Environment |
| 250.145(b) (250.109) | Designation of local agent | Appropriate Regional Supervisor |
| 250.146 (250.108) | Leasehold obligations | Field Operations |
| 250.150 and 153 (New) | Naming facilities & wells | Field Operations |
| 250.154 (250.115) | Identifying facilities & wells | Field Operations |
| 250.160-162 (250.107) | Right of use & easement | Field Operations |
| 250.163-166 (New) | Right of use & easement (States) | Field Operations |
| 250.168-177 (250.110) | Suspension of production or operations | Production and Development |
| 250.180 (250.123) | Report of cessation of production | Field Operations |
| 250.181-185 (250.112) | Cancellation of leases | Leasing and Environment |
| 250.190 (250.117) | Information & forms | Appropriate Regional Supervisor |
| 250.191 (250.119) | Accident reports | Field Operations |
| 250.192 (New) | Evacuation statistics | Field Operations |
| 250.193 (New) | Apparent violations | Appropriate Regional Supervisor |
| 250.194 (250.126) | Archaeological surveys & reports | Regional Director |
| 250.195 (250.116) | Reimbursement | Appropriate Regional Supervisor |
| 250.196 (250.118) | Public information | Regional Director |
| Subpart B, Exploration Plans and Development and Production Plans | ||
| All | Field Operations | |
| Except 250.202(c) (250.32(c)) | Protecting the lessor | Production and Development |
| Subpart C, Pollution Prevention and Control | ||
| All | Field Operations | |
| Subpart D, Oil and Gas Drilling Operations | ||
| All | Field Operations | |
| Subpart E, Oil and Gas Well-Completion Operations | ||
| All | Field Operations | |
| Subpart F, Oil and Gas Well-Workover Operations | ||
| All | Field Operations | |
| Subpart G, Abandonment of Wells | ||
| All | Field Operations | |
| Subpart H, Oil and Gas Production Safety Systems | ||
| All | Field Operations | |
| Subpart I, Platforms and Structures | ||
| All | Field Operations | |
| Subpart J, Pipelines and Pipeline Rights-of-way | ||
| All | Field Operations | |
| Except 250.1013 | Assignment of a right-of-way grant | Leasing and Environment |
| Except 250.1014 | Relinquishment of a right-of-way grant | Leasing and Environment |
| Subpart K, Oil and Gas Production Rates | ||
| All | Production and Development | |
| Subpart L, Oil and Gas Production Measurement, Commingling, and Security | ||
| All | Production and Development | |
| Subpart M, Unitization | ||
| All | Production and Development | |
| Subpart N, OCS Civil Penalties | ||
| All | Field Operations | |
| Subpart O, Training | ||
| All | Field Operations | |
| Subpart P, Sulphur Operations | ||
| All | Field Operations | |
| 30 CFR PART 251, GEOLOGICAL AND GEOPHYSICAL (G&G) EXPLORATIONS OF THE OCS | ||
| All | Resource Evaluation | |
| Except 251.3(a) | G and G activities under a lease | Field Operations |
| Except 251.7(b) | Deep stratigraphic tests | Field Operations |
| Except 251.7(c)(5) | Changes to test drilling applications | Field Operations |
| Except 251.7(d) | Test drilling bonding requirements | Leasing and Environment |
| Except 251.10 | Penalties and appeals | Field Operations |
| 30 CFR PART 253, OIL SPILL FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR OFFSHORE FACILITIES | ||
| All | Leasing and Environment | |
| 30 CFR PART
254, OIL SPILL RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS FOR FACILITIES LOCATED SEAWARD OF THE COASTLINE |
||
| All | Field Operations | |
| 30 CFR PART 256, LEASING OF SULPHUR OR OIL AND GAS IN THE OCS | ||
| All | Leasing and Environment | |
| 30 CFR PART 260, OCS OIL AND GAS LEASING | ||
| All | Leasing and Environment | |
Note: Some of the functions of the Office of Field Operations are performed in the GOMR District offices, and they are responsible for the following:
Receive first notice of oil spill, fire, or accident
Applications for Permit to Drill (APD's) - Form MMS-123
Sundry Notices - Form MMS-124
Production safety systems
Welding and burning plans
Hydrogen sulfide contingency plans
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 Statement
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the information collection requirements for the regulations and forms referenced in this NTL and assigned OMB control numbers. Each Part referenced in this NTL that contains information collection includes a section in the regulations listing the applicable control number(s). This NTL does not impose additional information collection requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
Contact
If you have any questions on this NTL, you may contact Mr. Chuck Schoennagel at (504) 736-2592.
Chris C. Oynes
Regional Director