Notice
to Lessees and Operators (NTL) of Federal Oil, Gas,
and Sulphur Leases in the Outer Continental Shelf
Deepwater Operations Plans
NTL98-8N,
including all attachments, is also available for download in Adobe's Portable Document
Format (PDF).
The Minerals Management Service (MMS) issued
Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) 96-4N with an effective date of August 19, 1996.
That NTL alerted lessees/operators (you) that MMS now requires a Deepwater Operations Plan
(DWOP) for all deepwater development projects (water depths greater than 1,000 feet) and
all projects utilizing subsea production technology. This present NTL supersedes NTL 96-4N
and provides a new set of guidelines (attached) addressing all deepwater development
projects (water depths greater than 1,000 feet) and all projects utilizing subsea
production technology. Projects that rely solely on the use of conventional fixed-leg
platforms for development do not need a DWOP.
The attached guidelines have been structured
to be more user friendly and to answer many of the commonly asked questions directed to
MMS during the previous year. The intent and goal of the DWOP remain as described in the
previous NTL:
The DWOP is designed to address industry and
MMS concerns by allowing an operator to know, well in advance of significant spending,
that their proposed methods of dealing with situations not specifically addressed in the
regulations are acceptable to MMS. The DWOP will provide MMS with information specific to
deepwater/subsea equipment issues to demonstrate that a deepwater project is being
developed in an acceptable manner as mandated in the OCS Lands Act as amended and 30 CFR
250. The MMS will review deepwater development activities from a total system perspective,
emphasizing the operational safety, environmental protection, and conservation of natural
resources.
The attached guideline retains the three-part
submittal for a DWOP: Conceptual, Preliminary, and Final. Attachment 1 provides general
guidance on when it may be appropriate to submit each part of the DWOP to MMS. Each part
of the plan will be reviewed for approval by MMS. There is one significant change to the
three-part submittal: a Conceptual Part is required for all development projects in
water depths greater than 1,000 feet and all projects utilizing subsea production
technology. For those subsea projects in less than 1,000 feet of water that are
similar to previously approved projects, MMS may waive the requirement for a Preliminary
Part. The guideline further describes this approach.
You should submit three copies of a DWOP to
the MMS's Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Attention: Chief, Technical Assessment and Operations
Support Section (MS 5220). Once MMS determines that each part of the DWOP contains all the
necessary information, MMS will approve each part within the following time schedule:
Conceptual Part - 30 days
Preliminary Part - 90 days
Final Part - 60 days
The guidelines for the DWOP do not require you
to submit documentation addressing resource conservation. You should refer to NTL 96-6N (until June 30, 1998) for conservation
information submittal requirements. Effective July 1, 1998, NTL 98-14N will supersede
96-6N.
The MMS does not intend for the DWOP to
replace other submittals (plans, applications, permits, etc.) required by the regulations.
You may minimize duplication by cross-referencing information whenever appropriate. Your
plan, in conjunction with the existing MMS regulations, will be the basis by which you
operate the deepwater project.
The MMS may require additional operations
summaries for deepwater projects. These summaries will be similar to the annual unit
operations plan. You must provide pertinent information regarding project milestones and
achievements, expected operations that could affect the development strategy, and updated
reservoir and geologic information obtained from the drilling or completion of additional
wells.
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 Statement:
This Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) requires us to inform you that MMS collects the
information required, or referred to, in this NTL and the attachments to evaluate proposed
deepwater projects from a "total system" approach, emphasizing operational
safety and environmental protection. Responses are mandatory. Proprietary data are covered
under 30 CFR 250, Subpart A. We estimate the public reporting burden to average 580 hours,
including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and
completing and reviewing the information. 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. The OMB has approved
the collection of information for submitting DWOP=s under OMB Control Number 1010-0049.
You may find the OMB control numbers listed in 30 CFR 250, subpart A, for the other
information collection requirements referred to in this NTL. Direct comments regarding the
burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information to the Information
Collection Clearance Officer, Mail Stop 4230, Department of the Interior, Minerals
Management Service, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240; and to the Office of
Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Desk
Officer for the Department of the Interior (1010-0049), Washington, D.C. 20503.
Dated: 27 May 1998
Carolita U. Kallaur [signed]
Associate Director for Offshore Energy and Minerals Management
This NTL can also be found at the MMS
worldwide website at http://www.mms.gov/eod/hqntl's.htm
2 Attachments:
1. General Timing for the Three Parts of the
Deepwater Operations Plan
2. Deepwater Operations Plan Guideline
NOTE: The complete text of this NTL, along with the two attachments is available
for download in Adobe's PDF format.
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