Waste Prevention, Production Subject to Royalties, and Resource Conservation

Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management 43 CFR Parts 3100, 3160, and 3170 [15X.LLWO300000.L13100000.NB0000] RIN 1004-AE14 AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Proposed rule. SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is proposing new regulations to reduce waste of natural gas from venting, flaring, and leaks during oil and natural gas production activities on onshore Federal and Indian leases. The regulations would also clarify when produced gas lost through venting, flaring, or leaks is subject to royalties, and when oil and gas production used on site would be royalty-free. These proposed regulations would be codified at new 43 CFR subparts 3178 and 3179 . They would replace the existing provisions related to venting, flaring, and royalty-free use of gas contained in the 1979 Notice to Lessees and Operators of Onshore Federal and Indian Oil and Gas Leases, Royalty or Compensation for Oil and Gas Lost (NTL-4A), which are over 3 decades old. DATES: Send your comments on this proposed rule to the BLM on or before April 8, 2016. The BLM is not obligated to consider any comments received after this date in making its decision on the final rule. As explained later, the proposed rule would establish new information collection requirements that must be approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). If you wish to comment on the information collection requirements in this proposed rule, please note that the OMB is required to make a decision co…