sale is scheduled to be held. However, the Director may extend the expiration date of a permit if it is determined that such an extension is in the national interest.

[47 FR 15782, Apr. 13, 1982]

§ 251.7 Inspection and reporting of progress and results of activities conducted under permits.

§ 251.7-1 Inspection and observation of exploration activities.

(a) A permittee, upon request by the Director, shall furnish food, quarters, and transportation for Federal representatives. Upon request, the permittee will be reimbursed by the United States for the actual costs incurred as a result of providing food, quarters, and transportation for a Federal representative's stay of more than 10 hours. The Federal representative shall observe or inspect operations conducted pursuant to the permit and determine whether operations are having any adverse effects upon the environment, aquatic life, cultural resources, or other uses of the area.

(b) The Federal representatives shall be appointed or approved by the Director.

§ 251.7-2 Progress report on activities conducted under a permit.

Each permittee shall submit status reports on a monthly basis in a manner approved or prescribed by the Director. This shall include a daily log of operations.

[48 FR 37968, Aug. 22, 1983; 48 FR 40380, Sept. 7, 1983]

§ 251.7-3 Final report on activities conducted under a permit.

Each permittee shall submit to the Director a final report of exploration or scientific research activities under the permit within 30 days after the completion of operations. The final report shall contain the following:

(a) A description of the work performed.

(b) Charts, maps, or plats depicting the areas and blocks in which any exploration or scientific research activities were conducted, specifically identifying the lines of geophysical tra

verses or the locations where geological exploration or scientific research activities were conducted, including a reference sufficient to identify the data produced during each activity.

(c) The dates on which the actual exploration or scientific research activities were performed.

(d) A narrative summary of any: (1) Hydrocarbon occurrences or environmental hazards, and (2) adverse effects of the exploration or scientific research activities on the environment, aquatic life, cultural resources, or other uses of the area in which the activities were conducted.

(e) Such other descriptions of the activities conducted as may be specified by the Director.

§ 251.8 Suspension and cancellation of authority to conduct activities under permit.

(a) The Director may suspend or temporarily prohibit the permittee's authority to conduct exploration or scientific research activities under a permit by notifying the permittee either orally or in writing when the Director determines that there is a threat of serious, irreparable, or immediate harm or damage to life (including fish and other aquatic life), to property, to any mineral deposits (in areas leased or not leased), to the national security or defense, or to the marine, coastal, or human environment. Such suspensions shall be effective immediately upon receipt of the notice. Suspensions issued orally shall be followed by a written notice confirming the action, and all written notices will be sent by certified mail. A suspension shall remain in effect until the basis for the suspension has been corrected to the satisfaction of the Director.

(b) The Director may suspend or temporarily prohibit the permittee's authority to conduct exploration or scientific research under a permit either orally or in writing when the Director determines the permittee fails to comply with a provision of the Act or of any applicable law, the provisions of the permit, provisions of these and other applicable regulations, OCS Orders, or any other written orders or

field rules including orders for the filing of reports and well records or logs within the time specified. Such suspensions shall be effective immediately upon receipt of the notice. Suspensions issued orally shall be followed by a written notice confirming the action and all written notices shall be sent by certified mail. A suspension shall remain in effect until the basis for the suspension has been corrected to the satisfaction of the Director.

(c)(1) The Director may cancel, or a permittee may relinquish, a permit to conduct exploration or scientific research activities at any time by sending a notice of cancellation or a notice of relinquishment. Such notices shall state the reason for the cancellation or relinquishment and shall be sent by certified mail to the other party at least 30 days in advance of the date the cancellation or relinquishment will be effective.

(2) Cancellation of a permit to conduct exploration or scientific research activities shall not relieve the permittee of the obligation to abandon any drill sites in accordance with the requirements of § 251.6-2(g) of this part and to comply with all other obligations specified in this part or in the permit.

§ 251.11 Inspection, selection, and submission of geological information and data.

(a) Each holder of a permit for geological exploration activities for mineral resources or scientific research shall notify the Director in writing within 30 days of the acquisition, initial analysis, and initial interpretation of any geological information and data collected under the permit. Within 30 days following the receipt of the Director's request for notice of any subsequent analysis and interpretation of that geological information or data, the permittee shall submit notice of the availability of that information in writing.

(b) Each submission of geological data, analyzed geological information, and interpreted geological information shall contain, unless otherwise specified by the Director, the following:

(1) An accurate and complete record of all geological (including geochemical) data, analyzed geological information, and interpreted geological information resulting from each operation;

(2) Paleontological reports identifying microscopic fossils by depth, unless washed samples are maintained by the permittee for paleontological determination and are made available upon request for inspection by the Minerals Management Service;

(3) Copies of well logs or charts; (4) Results and data obtained from formation fluid tests;

(5) Analyses of core or bottom samples or a representative cut or split of the core or bottom sample;

(6) Detailed descriptions of any hydrocarbons or hazardous conditions encountered during operations, including near losses of well-control, abnormal geopressures, and losses of circulation; and

(7) Such other geological data, analyzed geological information, and interpreted geological information as may be specified by the Director.

(c) In the event that geological data, analyzed geological information, or interpreted geological information is transferred from the permittee to a third party, or from a third party to another third party, the transferor shall notify the Director and shall re

quire the receiving party, in writing. to abide by the obligations of the permit tee as specified in this section as a condition precedent to the transfer of information or data.

[45 FR 6344. Jan. 25, 1980, as amended at 48 FR 46028, Oct. 11, 19831

§ 251.12 Inspection, selection, and submission of geophysical information and data.

(a) Each holder of a permit for geophysical exploration activities for mineral resources or scientific research shall notify the Director in writing within 30 days of the acquisition, initial processing, and initial interpretation of any geophysical information and data collected under the permit. Within 30 days following the receipt of the Director's request for notice of any reprocessing or subsequent interpretation of that geophysical information or data, the permittee shall submit notice of the availability of that information in writing.

(b) The Director shall have the right to inspect geophysical data, processed geophysical information, reprocessed geophysical information, or interpreted geophysical information prior to final selection. This inspection shall be performed on the permittee's premises unless the Director requests that the permittee deliver the information or data to the Director for inspection. Such delivery shall be within 30 days following the receipt of the Director's request unless the Director authorizes a later delivery date. At any time prior to final selection, the Director may return any or all geophysical information or data following either its inspection and detailed assessment of its quality, or the establishment of a price to the Government for the processing or reprocessing of the geophysical information or data. If the Director decides to keep all or a portion of the geophysical information and data, the Director shall notify the permittee, in writing, of this decision. If the inspection is done on the permittee's premises, the permittee shall submit the geophysical information or data selected within 30 days following receipt of the Director's request, unless the Director authorizes a longer period of time for delivery. The Director shall

have the right to arrange, by contract or otherwise, for the reproduction without the consent of the permittee. of geophysical data, processed geophysical information, reprocessed geophysical information, and interpreted geophysical information.

(c) In the event that geophysica data, processed geophysical informa tion, reprocessed geophysical informa tion, or interpreted geophysical information is transferred from the permittee to a third party, or from a third party to another third party, the transferor shall notify the Director and shall require the receiving third party, in writing, to abide by the obligations of the permittee as specified in this section as a condition precedent to the transfer of information or data

(d) Each submission of geophysical⚫ data, processed geophysical information, reprocessed geophysical information, and interpreted geophysical information, shall contain, unless otherwise specified by the Director, the following:

(1) An accurate and complete record of each geophysical survey conducted under the permit, including digital navigational data and final location maps of all survey stations;

(2) All seismic data developed under a permit presented in a format and of a quality suitable for processing;

(3) Processed geophysical information derived from seismic data with extraneous signals and interference removed, presented in a format and of a quality suitable for interpretive evaluation, reflecting state-of-the-art processing techniques; and

(4) Other geophysical data, processed geophysical information, reprocessed geophysical information, and interpreted geophysical information obtained from, but not limited to, shallow and deep subbottom profiles, bathymetry, sidescan sonar, gravity and magnetic surveys, and special studies such as refraction and velocity surveys.

[45 FR 6344, Jan. 25, 1980, as amended at 48 FR 46026, Oct. 11, 1983]

§ 251.13 Reimbursement to permittees.

(a) After the delivery to the Director of geological data, analyzed geological

formation, interpreted geological inormation, geophysical data, processed eophysical information, reprocessed eophysical information, and interpreted geophysical information selectd by the Director in accordance with § 251.11 or 251.12, and upon receipt of request for reimbursement and a deermination by the Director that the requested reimbursement is proper, he permittee or third party shall be reimbursed for the reasonable costs of reproducing the selected information and data at the permittee's or third party's lowest rate or at the lowest commercial rate established in the area, whichever is less.

(b) After the delivery to the Director of processed or reprocessed geophysical information selected and retained by the Director in accordance with § 251.12(b) and upon receipt of a request for reimbursement and a determination that the requested reimbursement is proper, the permittee or third party shall be reimbursed for the reasonable costs attributable to processing and reprocessing such information (as distinguished from the cost of data acquisition) if the processing or reprocessing was in the form and manner of processing other than that used in the normal conduct of business at the Director's request.

(c) Requests for reimbursement shall identify processing and reprocessing costs separate from acquisition costs.

(d) The permittee or third party shall not be reimbursed for the costs of analyzing geological information or interpreting geological or geophysical information.

[47 FR 25331, June 11, 1982, as amended at 51 FR 17176, May 9, 1986]

§ 251.14 Disclosure of information and data submitted under permits.

§ 251.14-1 Disclosure of information and data to the public.

(a) The Director shall make information and data available in accordance with the requirements and subject to the limitations of the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and the implementing regulations (43 CFR part 2), the requirements of the Act, and the regulations contained in 30

CFR part 250 (Oil and Gas and Sulphur Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf), this part, and 30 CFR part 252 (Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Information Program).

(b) Except as specified in this section or in parts 250 and 252 of this chapter, no information or data determined by the Director to be exempt from public disclosure under paragraph (a) of this section shall be provided to any affected State or be made available to the executive of any affected local government or to the public unless the permittee and all persons to whom such permittee has sold the information or data under promise of confidentiality agree to such an action.

(c) The Director shall disclose geological data, analyzed geological information, and interpreted geological information submitted under a permit as follows:

(1) The Director shall immediately issue a public announcement when any significant hydrocarbon occurrences are detected or environmental hazards are encountered on unleased lands during drilling operations. In the case of significant hydrocarbon occurrences, the Director will announce such occurrences in a form and manner that will further the national interest without unduly damaging the competitive position of those conducting the drilling. Other information and data pertaining to the permit will be released according to the schedule provided in paragraph (c)(2) or (3) of this section.

(2) The Director shall make available to the public all geological data, analyzed geological information, and interpreted geological information, except geological data, analyzed geological information, and interpreted geological information obtained from the drilling of a deep stratigraphic test, 10 years after the date of issuance of the permit under which the information and data was obtained.

(d) The Director shall disclose geophysical data, processed geophysical information, reprocessed geophysical information, and interpreted geophysical information submitted under a permit, and retained by the Director, as follows: