Notice to Lessees (NTLs)

This notice supersedes Paragraph No. 17 of our clarification letter dated April 18, 1991, concerning Pipeline Unit notification procedures. The notifications required by 30 CFR 250.158 paragraphs (a), (c), (d), and (e) shall be made by calling the Pipeline Unit, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., at (504) 736-2545, FAX (504) 736-2426. If a serious accident, death or serious injury, fire, explosion, oil spill, or gas leak involves a lease term or right-of-way grant pipeline, notification shall be made immediately by calling the Pipeline Unit during office hours at (504) 736-2545

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE GULF OF MEXICO OCS REGION NTL No. 94-02 February 24, 1994 NOTICE TO LESSEES AND OPERATORS OF FEDERAL OIL, GAS, AND SULPHUR LEASES IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF, GULF OF MEXICO OCS REGION Air Emissions Reporting Requirements In accordance with the req

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) is provided pursuant to the authority prescribed in 30 CFR §§ 250.4, Jurisdiction, and 256.1, Purpose. This NTL is also based upon the provisions of 30 CFR § 250.8, Designation of operator; 30 CFR Part 250, Subpart G, Abandonment of Wells, particularly provisions of §§ 250.110, General requirements, 250.112, Permanent abandonment, 250.114, Site clearance verification, and 250.143, Platform removal and location clearance; 30 CFR § 256.62, Assignment of leases or interests therein; and section 22 of the lease agreement which pertains to removal of property on termination of the lease.

This NTL sets forth interim procedures for applying for certification of oil spill financial responsibility for OCS offshore facilities. New superseding regulations, when finalized, will implement the requirement for proof of the higher amount of financial responsibility required by section 1016(c)(1) of OPA 90.

The final rule published in the Federal Register, Vol. 58, No. 184, dated September 24, 1993, describes the newly revised Minerals Management Service (MMS) reporting forms and associated regulation changes which are effective October 25, 1993. Among these newly approved forms is the Form MMS-128, "Semiannual Well Test Report," which is replacing the previous Forms MMS-1869, "Quarterly Oil Well Test Report," and MMS-1870, "Semiannual Gas Well Test Report."

Concerning current regulations, 30 CFR 250, "Oil, Gas, and Sulphur Operations"; 30 CFR 251, "Geological and Geophysical (G&G) Exploration of the Outer Continental Shelf"; 30 CFR 256, "OCS Minerals and Right-of-Way Management"; and 30 CFR 260, "OCS Oil and Gas Leasing," this notice is provided to delineate the appropriate portion of the Gulf of Mexico OCS Region organization that is responsible for the various functions and requirements contained therein.

Submittal of Electric, Radioactive, and Other Well Bore Surveys This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) supersedes NTL 85-06 and is provided pursuant to the authority prescribed in 30 CFR 250.66(d) which requires the lessee to submit duplicate copies of final composites of multiple runs of all well bore surveys (1" and 5" scales) within 30 days after completion of any well. Well bore velocity and directional surveys are submitted pursuant to Letter to Lessees and Operators dated October 1, 1990, which is not affected by this NTL.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE GULF OF MEXICO OCS REGION 90-09 November 8, 1990 NOTICE TO LESSEES AND OPERATORS OF FEDERAL OIL AND GAS LEASES IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF, GULF OF MEXICO OCS REGION Temporary Abandonment of Wells and Maintenance, Protection and Removal of Underwater C

Supplemental bonds may be deemed necessary, under the provisions of 30 CFR 256.61 after operations or production have begun, prior to approval of: assignments of interests in leases, designations of operator, exploration plans, development and production plans or development operations coordination documents, or at any other time, where the Minerals Management Service infers that the obligee may not have the financial wherewithal or expertise to carry out the obligations of the lease. Such an inference may be drawn when the obligee has demonstrated a failure to comply with royalty or rental payments, failed to comply with OCS operating regulations, or otherwise indicated a potential inability to carry out the obligations of the lease.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) implements the Director's authority pursuant to 30 CFR 250.13(b) to approve time periods between operations not to exceed 180 days from the date of the last exploratory drilling operations.

There will be a reorganization of the Gulf of Mexico OCS Region Field Operations Office which will result in the establishment of four districts with two subdistrict offices.

Pursuant to 30 CFR 250.17, a "Public Information" copy of reports submitted on forms is required. Subpart A of the rule stipulates the information to be made available to the public and identifies the information not available for inspection without the consent of the lessee for certain specified periods on Forms MMS-330 (Well (Re) Completion Report), MMS-331 (Sundry Notice and Reports on Wells), and MMS-331C (Application for Permit to Drill). However, the rule does not specifically address similar data and information submitted pursuant to Subpart K, i.e., on Forms MMS-1866 (Request for Reservoir MER), MMS-1867 (Request for Well MPR), MMS-1868 (Well Potential Test Report), MMS-1869 (Quarterly Oil Well Test Report), and MMS-1870 (Semiannual Gas Well Test Report).

Regulatory consolidation rules were published in Federal Register, Vol. 53, No. 63, Friday, April 1, 1988, pp 10596-10777, effective May 31, 1988. Subpart H, "Production Safety Systems, 30 CFR 250.126(b)(1), "Quality Assurance and Performance of Safety and Pollution Prevention Equipment," requires lessee submittal of a list of all certified and noncertified equipment in inventory (installed and in storage) as of April 1, 1988, to the Minerals Management Service (MMS) Deputy Associate Director for Offshore Operations by August 29, 1988.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) supersedes NTL 80-6 and Letters to Lessees dated November 20, 1980 and February 4, 1985 and is provided pursuant to the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act Amendments of 1978 (43 U.S.C. 1801, et seq), and 30 CFR 250.34 regarding
Environmental Report/Environmental Information requirements for plans submitted in the Gulf of Mexico OCS Region.

Lessees and Operators, please note that the Minerals Management Service (MMS) has a new form for Designating an Operator.  The new form, copies enclosed, is designated Form MMS-1123 (September 1985). The old form, 9-1123 (Rev. December 1957) will no longer be acceptable.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) is provided pursuant to Stipulation No. 5 made a part of certain leases issued pursuant to the January 5, 1984, lease offering in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, to 30 CFR 250.12(a)(1)(iii) concerning suspensions of operations, to 30 CFR 250.12(d) concerning lease extensions, and to 30 CFR 218.154(a) and (c) concerning payment of rentals and lease anniversary date.

In accordance with the provisions of 30 CFR 250.11(a), 250.34-1(k), 250.34-2(n), and 250.34-3, the Minerals Management Service (MMS) has established a shallow hazards program to ensure that exploratory, development, and production operations are conducted with a minimum risk to human life and the environment. This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) specifies the requirements necessary to meet this objective in the Gulf of Mexico OCS Region.

Certain potential adverse environmental effects have been recognized in the use of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's) in liquid heat transfer units. Until recently, the impact of the introduction of PCB's to the environment has gone unnoticed. However, present research on PCB's has indicated them to be chronically toxic to the ecosystem.

A flash fire occurred in the production facilities of a producing platform in OCS waters directly resulting from the ignition of fluid from the heat transfer unit. The liquid phase heat transfer system was being used for heating oil to separate water through a chemical-electric treater. It was also to be used as the heating medium for the glycol system to separate water from gas but that system was not in operation.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) supersedes NTL No. 2000-G09, dated March 29, 2000, on this subject. It makes minor technical amendments and corrects some cited authorities. 1. 30 CFR 250.802(b). Exclusion of pressure safety high (PSH) and pressure safety low (PSL) sensors on downstream vessels in a production train As specified in American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 14C, Section A.4, you must install a PSH sensor to provide over-pressure protection for a vessel.

Clarifies the policy on availability and inspection of electronically stored records for tests of installed surface and subsurface  safety devices "at the lessee's field office nearest to the OCS facility or other locations convenient to the District Manager" within the meaning of 30 CFR 804(b) and 1630(b).  Encourages use of electronic record systems to manage inspections and follow-up activity via request for alternate compliance procedure under 30 CFR 250.141. 

The Chief, Office ofFacilities, Safety and Enforcement (OFSE) requires all Pacific OCS Region (POCSR) lessees or right-of-way applicants (you) to perform an analysis of seafloor and subsurface geologic and manmade hazards of all areas considered for production platforms and pipelines (30 CFR 250.242(b), 250.906 and 250.1007 (a)(5)). Hazards analysis is the process ofidentifying and evaluating conditions that might affect the safety ofproposed operations or conditions that might be affected by the proposed operations.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) supersedes NTL No. 92-02. It is issued to update the cited regulatory authorities and to include a statement regarding the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This NTL is provided under the authority of 30 CFR 250.104(b). According to 30 CFR 250.105(a), 250.702(i), 250.704, 250.913 (a), (b), and (c), and Section 22 of the Lease Agreement pertaining to removal of property on termination of the lease, the Minerals Management Service (MMS) has established a program designed to ensure that any object (i.e., wellheads, platforms, etc.) installed on an Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) lease is properly removed and the site cleared so as not to conflict with other uses of the OCS.

This Notice to Pipeline Right-of-way Holders (NTL) supersedes NTL No. 2008-G23 on this subject. It extends the time period during which certain pipeline right-of-way (ROW) grants will not expire from November 20, 2009, to June 1, 2010, to allow sufficient time for repairs to be completed on pipelines damaged by Hurricanes Gustav and/or Ike.

This NTL provides guidelines for flaring and venting approvals and updates personnel contacts. It supersedes NTL No. 2003-P04, dated May 18, 2003; NTL No. 2004-G08, dated April 21, 2004; and NTL No. 2005-G04, dated March 1, 2005. Flaring is the burning of gas in the field as it is released into the atmosphere. Venting is the release of gas into the atmosphere without igniting it. Venting includes gas that is released underwater and bubbles to the atmosphere.

The 2004 Minerals Management Service (MMS) Industry Awards Program and Luncheon are scheduled for Tuesday, April 27, 2004, at the Inter-Continental in Houston, Texas. This is the 21st year that MMS has honored outstanding companies for their exemplary safety and pollution prevention records, and the sixth year for our industry awards program.

Provides clarification of regulatory requirements for safe and environmentally sound use of subsea pumping as a minerals recovery method in subsea development projects.  Sets forth information requirements for DWOPs (and revisions of DWOPs). Describes examples of equipment and procedures sufficient to meet current expectations of safe, protective operations.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) supersedes NTL No. 2001-G09 on this subject. It changes the provision under “Automatic Approvals” to allow for the use of a U.S. Coast Guard type and size rating “B-II” portable dry chemical unit (with a minimum UL Rating (US) of 60- B:C) or a 30-pound portable dry chemical unit, in lieu of a water system, on all platforms that are both minor and unmanned.

Clarifies information regarding the interpretation of Hydrogen Sulfide presence determinations using NACE Standard MR0175-2003.  Restates adoption of the NACE standard as best available and safest technology [BAST] for when use of equipment to prevent sulfide cracking and stress corrosion is required at OCS worksites.

Clarifies that all pipeline location information is to be reported and submitted in North American Datum (NAD) 27, so as to ensure that surface location data and final location plats for drilling activities, wells, platforms and pipelines are sufficiently accurate.

Offers guidance for when you must shut-in producible wells during rig moves or move a skid or drilling unit between wells as supported by a platform.  The NTL describes various types of rigs and phases of rig movement, and specifies when wells must be shut in and how to delineate the documentation provided to MMS.

Updates prior NTL to specify requirement to use a checklist of information regarding jack-up rig fitness using Form MMS-123 to assure the rig is capable of performing at the proposed location.   Clarifies the MMS form is based on information provided at API Recommended Practice 95J.