Notice of Crude Helium Auction and Sale for Fiscal Year 2017 Delivery, 43635-43636 [2016-15754]
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43635
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 128 / Tuesday, July 5, 2016 / Notices
DATES:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Effective on July 5, 2016.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
Robert Jolley, Amarillo Field Manager,
at 806–356–1002. Persons who use a
telecommunications device for the deaf
(TDD) may call the Federal Information
Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–
8339. The FIRS is available 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week, to leave a message.
You will receive a reply during normal
business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
The Secretary of the Interior
(Secretary), through the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) New Mexico State
Office, is issuing this Notice to conduct
an auction and sale from the Federal
Helium Program, administered by the
BLM New Mexico Amarillo Field Office.
The Helium Stewardship Act of 2013
(HSA) (Pub. L. 113–40) requires the
BLM to conduct an annual auction and
sale of crude helium. Accordingly, the
BLM will use the auction and sale
process established in 79 FR 42808,
dated July 23, 2014, and further refined
in 80 FR 51304, dated August 24, 2015.
A. Purpose and Background
In October 2013, Congress passed the
HSA. The HSA requires the Department
of the Interior, through the BLM
Director, to offer for auction and sale
annually a portion of the helium
reserves owned by the United States and
stored underground at the Cliffside Gas
Field, near Amarillo, Texas.
On July 23, 2014, the BLM published
a ‘‘Final Notice for Implementation of
Helium Stewardship Act Sales and
Auctions’’ in the Federal Register (79
FR 42808) (2014 Final Notice). The 2014
Final Notice contained information
[LLNM006200 L99110000.EK0000 XXX
L4053RV]
Notice of Crude Helium Auction and
Sale for Fiscal Year 2017 Delivery
AGENCY:
SUMMARY:
about the HSA, definitions of terms
used in the Notice, the reasons for the
action, and a process for conducting the
auctions and sales in FY 2014.
On August 24, 2015, the BLM
published a ‘‘Notice of Final Action:
Crude Helium Sale and Auction for
Fiscal Year 2016 Delivery’’ in the
Federal Register (80 FR 51304) (2015
Final Notice). The 2015 Final Notice
refined the process the BLM used in
2014 for conducting the auction and
sale of crude helium. The BLM will use
the process set forth in the 2015 Final
Notice for the auction and sale of crude
helium to occur in FY 2016 for FY 2017
delivery.
Both the 2014 and 2015 Final Notices
are available at the BLM helium
operations Web site at: https://
www.blm.gov/nm/helium.
B. Volumes Offered in the FY 2017
Helium Auction and Sale
Table 1 identifies the volumes to be
offered for auction and sale in FY 2016
for FY 2017 delivery.
TABLE 1—PROJECTED VOLUMES FOR AUCTION AND SALES FOR FY 2017 DELIVERY
Forecasted
production
capability
(NITEC study)
Total
remaining
production
available
for sale/
auction or
delivery
Volume
available
for auction
Volume
available
for nonallocated
sale
Volume
available
for sale
MMcf *
Fiscal year (FY)
In-kind
sales
(sales to
Federal
users)
MMcf
MMcf
MMcf
MMcf
MMcf
FY 2017 ** ................................................
1,160
160
1,000
*** 400
60
540
* MMcf means one million cubic feet of gas measured at standard conditions of 14.65 per square inch atmosphere (psia) and 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
** Delivery for FY 2017 sales and auctions will be subject to the new storage contract that began October 1, 2015.
*** 40% of total production capacity after deducting In-Kind (rounded).
sradovich on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES
C. FY 2017 Helium Auction
1.01 What is the minimum FY 2017
auction price and the FY 2017 sales
price? The minimum FY 2017 auction
price is $100 per Mcf (one thousand
cubic feet of gas measured at standard
conditions of 14.65 psia and 60 degrees
Fahrenheit). The BLM will announce
the FY 2017 sale price after the auction
has concluded, and the BLM completes
its analysis of the auction information.
The BLM will use this information to
publish the crude helium price for FY
2017. The BLM publishes this crude
helium price, effective October 1, 2016,
in order to provide a consistent index to
the world-wide helium market.
1.02 What will happen to the helium
offered but not sold in the helium
auction? Any volume of helium offered,
but not sold in the FY 2017 auction, will
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:27 Jul 01, 2016
Jkt 238001
be added to the helium available for sale
and will be offered in the FY 2017 sale.
1.03 When will the auction and sale
take place? The BLM will offer helium
for FY 2017 according to the following
schedule:
July 20, 2016 FY 2017 helium auction
held in Amarillo, Texas
July 21, 2016 FY 2017 helium auction
results published on the BLM Web
site
July 25, 2016 Invitation for offers (IFO)
posted for helium sale
August 19, 2016 Bids due from IFO
August 25, 2016 Award
announcements published on the
BLM Web site
August 26, 2016 Invoices sent on or
before; payments due 30 days from
invoice
1.04 What is the auction format?
The auction will be a live auction, held
in the main conference room of the
PO 00000
Frm 00066
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Amarillo Field Office at 1:00 p.m.
central time, on July 20, 2016. The
address is 801 South Fillmore, Suite
500, Amarillo, TX 79101. Anyone
meeting the HSA definition of a
qualified bidder may participate in the
auction. The logistics for the auction
and the pre-bid qualification form is
included in a document entitled,
‘‘Auction Guide’’ at www.blm.gov/nm/
helium2017. Questions related to the
auction can be submitted by phone to
the BLM at 806–356–1001.
1.05 Who is qualified to purchase
helium at the auction? Only qualified
bidders, as defined in 50 U.S.C. 167(9),
may participate in and purchase helium
at the auction. The BLM will make the
final determination of who is a qualified
bidder using the HSA’s definition of a
qualified bidder, regardless of whether
or not that person was previously
determined to be a qualified bidder.
E:\FR\FM\05JYN1.SGM
05JYN1
43636
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 128 / Tuesday, July 5, 2016 / Notices
1.06 How many helium lots does the
BLM anticipate offering at the FY 2017
auction? The BLM anticipates
auctioning 400 MMcf in a total of 24 lots
for FY 2017. The lots would be divided
as follows:
10 lots of 25 MMcf each;
8 lots of 15 MMcf each; and
6 lots of 5 MMcf each.
1.07 What must I do to bid at
auction? The BLM has described the
live auction procedures, including
detailed bidding instructions and prebid registration requirements, in a
document entitled, ‘‘FY 2017 Auction
Notice and Guide’’ at www.blm.gov/nm/
helium2017.
1.08 When will helium that is
purchased at sale or won at auction be
available in the purchaser’s storage
account? The BLM will transfer the
volumes purchased in the FY 2017
auction and sale to the buyer’s storage
accounts beginning on the first day of
the month following receipt of payment.
sradovich on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES
D. FY 2017 Helium Sale
2.01 Who will be allowed to
purchase helium in the FY 2017 sale?
The crude helium sale will be separated
into two distinct portions, a nonallocated portion and an allocated
portion. The non-allocated portion will
be ten percent of the total amount
offered for sale for FY 2017, and will be
available to those storage contract
holders, as of June 30, 2016, who do not
have ability to accept delivery of crude
helium from the Federal Helium
Pipeline (as defined in 50 U.S.C.
167(2)). The allocated portion will be
ninety percent of the total amount
offered for sale for FY 2017, and will be
available to any person (including
individuals, corporations, partnerships,
or other entities) with the ability to
accept delivery of crude helium from
the Federal Helium Pipeline (as defined
in 50 U.S.C. 167(2)).
2.02 How will helium sold in the FY
2017 sale be allocated among those
participating in the non-allocated sale?
The non-allocated sale will be made
available to all qualified offerors not
eligible to participate in the allocated
sales. The minimum volume that can be
requested is 1 MMcf. The total volume
available for the non-allocated portion
of the sale is 40 MMcf. Any volumes not
sold at auction will be distributed
between the non-allocated (10 percent)
and the allocated sale (90 percent). Any
volumes not purchased at the nonallocated sale will be sold in the
allocated portion.
2.03 How will the helium sold in the
FY 2017 sale be allocated among the
persons to accept delivery of crude
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:27 Jul 01, 2016
Jkt 238001
helium from the Federal Helium
Pipeline? Any person wishing to
participate in the allocated portion of
the FY 2017 sale needs to report its
excess refining capacity and operational
capacity by June 30, 2016, using the
Excess Refining Capacity form, which
can be downloaded at: https://
www.blm.gov/nm/heliumreporting, or in
a link entitled ‘‘Required Forms for
Helium Reporting’’ at www.blm.gov/nm/
helium2017. Each person participating
in the sale will then be allocated a
proportional share based upon that
person’s operational capacity.
2.04 How does a person apply for
access to the Federal Helium Pipeline
for the purpose of taking crude helium?
The steps for taking crude helium are
provided in the BLM’s Helium
Operations Web site in a document
entitled, ‘‘How to Set Up a Storage
Account and Pipeline Access’’ at https://
www.blm.gov/nm/helium2017.
Reporting forms show the due dates for
each report, and can be found in a
document entitled, ‘‘Required Forms for
Helium Reporting’’ at www.blm.gov/nm/
helium2017. The length of time required
to apply for and obtain access to the
Federal Helium Pipeline vary based on
the person’s plans for plant
construction, pipeline metering
installation, and other variables. The
BLM is available to provide technical
assistance, including contact
information for applying for access and
meeting any applicable National
Environmental Policy Act requirements.
E. Delivery of Helium in FY 2017
3.01 When will I receive the helium
that I purchase in a sale or win based
on a successful auction bid? Helium
purchased at the FY 2017 sale or won
at the FY 2017 auction will be delivered
starting October 1, 2016, in accordance
with the crude helium storage contract.
The intent is to ensure delivery of all
helium purchased at sale or auction up
to the BLM’s production capability for
the year.
3.02 How will the BLM prioritize
delivery? The HSA gives priority to
Federal in-kind helium (i.e., helium sold
to Federal users) (50 U.S.C.
167d(b)(1)(D)) and (b)(3)). After meeting
that priority, the BLM will make
delivery on a reasonable basis, as
described in the crude helium storage
contract, to ensure storage contract
holders who have purchased or won
helium at auction have the opportunity
during the year to have that helium
produced or refined in monthly
increments.
PO 00000
Frm 00067
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
F. Background Documents
Supplementary documents referenced
in this Notice are available at the BLM
helium operations Web site at: https://
www.blm.gov/nm/helium2017, and
include the following:
a. The HSA (50 U.S.C. 167);
b. FY 2017 Helium Auction Notice
and Guide;
c. Table of Projected Volumes for
Sales and Auctions for Delivery for FY
2017–FY 2021 (informational);
d. Hypothetical example of how the
FY 2017 Allocated Sale would be
conducted (informational);
e. Hypothetical example of how the
FY 2017 Non-Allocated Sale would be
conducted (informational);
f. Schedule for Helium Auction and
Sale;
g. How to Set Up a Storage Account
and Pipeline Access;
h. 2016 Reference Helium Storage
Contract (informational); and
i. Required Forms for Helium
Reporting.
Authority: The HSA of 2013 (Public Law
113–40) codified to various sections in 50
U.S.C. 167–167q.
Aden Seidlitz,
Associate State Director.
[FR Doc. 2016–15754 Filed 7–1–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–FB–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Indian Gaming Commission
Notice of Availability of a Final
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement for the Jamul Indian Village
Proposed Gaming Management
Agreement, San Diego County,
California
National Indian Gaming
Commission (NIGC), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA).
AGENCY:
In accordance with Section
102(2)(C) of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) 42 U.S.C. 4321 et
seq., the NIGC, in cooperation with the
Jamul Indian Village has prepared a
Final Supplemental Environmental
Impact Statement (Final SEIS) for the
proposed Gaming Management
Agreement (GMA) between the Jamul
Indian Village (JIV) and San Diego
Gaming Ventures (SDGV). If approved,
the GMA would allow SDGV to assume
responsibility for operation and
management of the JIV Gaming Facility
located in San Diego County, California.
The Final SEIS addresses the effects of
GMA approval and the No Action
Alternative, which assumes no GMA, is
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\05JYN1.SGM
05JYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 5, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43635-43636]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-15754]
[[Page 43635]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNM006200 L99110000.EK0000 XXX L4053RV]
Notice of Crude Helium Auction and Sale for Fiscal Year 2017
Delivery
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Secretary of the Interior (Secretary), through the Bureau
of Land Management (BLM) New Mexico State Office, is issuing this
Notice to conduct an auction and sale from the Federal Helium Program,
administered by the BLM New Mexico Amarillo Field Office. The Helium
Stewardship Act of 2013 (HSA) (Pub. L. 113-40) requires the BLM to
conduct an annual auction and sale of crude helium. Accordingly, the
BLM will use the auction and sale process established in 79 FR 42808,
dated July 23, 2014, and further refined in 80 FR 51304, dated August
24, 2015.
DATES: Effective on July 5, 2016.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Jolley, Amarillo Field Manager,
at 806-356-1002. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-
800-877-8339. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to
leave a message. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Purpose and Background
In October 2013, Congress passed the HSA. The HSA requires the
Department of the Interior, through the BLM Director, to offer for
auction and sale annually a portion of the helium reserves owned by the
United States and stored underground at the Cliffside Gas Field, near
Amarillo, Texas.
On July 23, 2014, the BLM published a ``Final Notice for
Implementation of Helium Stewardship Act Sales and Auctions'' in the
Federal Register (79 FR 42808) (2014 Final Notice). The 2014 Final
Notice contained information about the HSA, definitions of terms used
in the Notice, the reasons for the action, and a process for conducting
the auctions and sales in FY 2014.
On August 24, 2015, the BLM published a ``Notice of Final Action:
Crude Helium Sale and Auction for Fiscal Year 2016 Delivery'' in the
Federal Register (80 FR 51304) (2015 Final Notice). The 2015 Final
Notice refined the process the BLM used in 2014 for conducting the
auction and sale of crude helium. The BLM will use the process set
forth in the 2015 Final Notice for the auction and sale of crude helium
to occur in FY 2016 for FY 2017 delivery.
Both the 2014 and 2015 Final Notices are available at the BLM
helium operations Web site at: https://www.blm.gov/nm/helium.
B. Volumes Offered in the FY 2017 Helium Auction and Sale
Table 1 identifies the volumes to be offered for auction and sale
in FY 2016 for FY 2017 delivery.
Table 1--Projected Volumes for Auction and Sales for FY 2017 Delivery
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total
Forecasted In-kind sales remaining Volume
production (sales to production Volume available for Volume
Fiscal year (FY) capability Federal available for available for non- allocated available for
(NITEC study) users) sale/ auction auction sale sale
or delivery
MMcf * MMcf MMcf MMcf MMcf MMcf
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2017 **.............................................. 1,160 160 1,000 *** 400 60 540
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* MMcf means one million cubic feet of gas measured at standard conditions of 14.65 per square inch atmosphere (psia) and 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
** Delivery for FY 2017 sales and auctions will be subject to the new storage contract that began October 1, 2015.
*** 40% of total production capacity after deducting In-Kind (rounded).
C. FY 2017 Helium Auction
1.01 What is the minimum FY 2017 auction price and the FY 2017
sales price? The minimum FY 2017 auction price is $100 per Mcf (one
thousand cubic feet of gas measured at standard conditions of 14.65
psia and 60 degrees Fahrenheit). The BLM will announce the FY 2017 sale
price after the auction has concluded, and the BLM completes its
analysis of the auction information. The BLM will use this information
to publish the crude helium price for FY 2017. The BLM publishes this
crude helium price, effective October 1, 2016, in order to provide a
consistent index to the world-wide helium market.
1.02 What will happen to the helium offered but not sold in the
helium auction? Any volume of helium offered, but not sold in the FY
2017 auction, will be added to the helium available for sale and will
be offered in the FY 2017 sale.
1.03 When will the auction and sale take place? The BLM will offer
helium for FY 2017 according to the following schedule:
July 20, 2016 FY 2017 helium auction held in Amarillo, Texas
July 21, 2016 FY 2017 helium auction results published on the BLM Web
site
July 25, 2016 Invitation for offers (IFO) posted for helium sale
August 19, 2016 Bids due from IFO
August 25, 2016 Award announcements published on the BLM Web site
August 26, 2016 Invoices sent on or before; payments due 30 days from
invoice
1.04 What is the auction format? The auction will be a live
auction, held in the main conference room of the Amarillo Field Office
at 1:00 p.m. central time, on July 20, 2016. The address is 801 South
Fillmore, Suite 500, Amarillo, TX 79101. Anyone meeting the HSA
definition of a qualified bidder may participate in the auction. The
logistics for the auction and the pre-bid qualification form is
included in a document entitled, ``Auction Guide'' at www.blm.gov/nm/helium2017. Questions related to the auction can be submitted by phone
to the BLM at 806-356-1001.
1.05 Who is qualified to purchase helium at the auction? Only
qualified bidders, as defined in 50 U.S.C. 167(9), may participate in
and purchase helium at the auction. The BLM will make the final
determination of who is a qualified bidder using the HSA's definition
of a qualified bidder, regardless of whether or not that person was
previously determined to be a qualified bidder.
[[Page 43636]]
1.06 How many helium lots does the BLM anticipate offering at the
FY 2017 auction? The BLM anticipates auctioning 400 MMcf in a total of
24 lots for FY 2017. The lots would be divided as follows:
10 lots of 25 MMcf each;
8 lots of 15 MMcf each; and
6 lots of 5 MMcf each.
1.07 What must I do to bid at auction? The BLM has described the
live auction procedures, including detailed bidding instructions and
pre-bid registration requirements, in a document entitled, ``FY 2017
Auction Notice and Guide'' at www.blm.gov/nm/helium2017.
1.08 When will helium that is purchased at sale or won at auction
be available in the purchaser's storage account? The BLM will transfer
the volumes purchased in the FY 2017 auction and sale to the buyer's
storage accounts beginning on the first day of the month following
receipt of payment.
D. FY 2017 Helium Sale
2.01 Who will be allowed to purchase helium in the FY 2017 sale?
The crude helium sale will be separated into two distinct portions, a
non-allocated portion and an allocated portion. The non-allocated
portion will be ten percent of the total amount offered for sale for FY
2017, and will be available to those storage contract holders, as of
June 30, 2016, who do not have ability to accept delivery of crude
helium from the Federal Helium Pipeline (as defined in 50 U.S.C.
167(2)). The allocated portion will be ninety percent of the total
amount offered for sale for FY 2017, and will be available to any
person (including individuals, corporations, partnerships, or other
entities) with the ability to accept delivery of crude helium from the
Federal Helium Pipeline (as defined in 50 U.S.C. 167(2)).
2.02 How will helium sold in the FY 2017 sale be allocated among
those participating in the non-allocated sale? The non-allocated sale
will be made available to all qualified offerors not eligible to
participate in the allocated sales. The minimum volume that can be
requested is 1 MMcf. The total volume available for the non-allocated
portion of the sale is 40 MMcf. Any volumes not sold at auction will be
distributed between the non-allocated (10 percent) and the allocated
sale (90 percent). Any volumes not purchased at the non-allocated sale
will be sold in the allocated portion.
2.03 How will the helium sold in the FY 2017 sale be allocated
among the persons to accept delivery of crude helium from the Federal
Helium Pipeline? Any person wishing to participate in the allocated
portion of the FY 2017 sale needs to report its excess refining
capacity and operational capacity by June 30, 2016, using the Excess
Refining Capacity form, which can be downloaded at: https://www.blm.gov/nm/heliumreporting, or in a link entitled ``Required Forms for Helium
Reporting'' at www.blm.gov/nm/helium2017. Each person participating in
the sale will then be allocated a proportional share based upon that
person's operational capacity.
2.04 How does a person apply for access to the Federal Helium
Pipeline for the purpose of taking crude helium? The steps for taking
crude helium are provided in the BLM's Helium Operations Web site in a
document entitled, ``How to Set Up a Storage Account and Pipeline
Access'' at https://www.blm.gov/nm/helium2017. Reporting forms show the
due dates for each report, and can be found in a document entitled,
``Required Forms for Helium Reporting'' at www.blm.gov/nm/helium2017.
The length of time required to apply for and obtain access to the
Federal Helium Pipeline vary based on the person's plans for plant
construction, pipeline metering installation, and other variables. The
BLM is available to provide technical assistance, including contact
information for applying for access and meeting any applicable National
Environmental Policy Act requirements.
E. Delivery of Helium in FY 2017
3.01 When will I receive the helium that I purchase in a sale or
win based on a successful auction bid? Helium purchased at the FY 2017
sale or won at the FY 2017 auction will be delivered starting October
1, 2016, in accordance with the crude helium storage contract. The
intent is to ensure delivery of all helium purchased at sale or auction
up to the BLM's production capability for the year.
3.02 How will the BLM prioritize delivery? The HSA gives priority
to Federal in-kind helium (i.e., helium sold to Federal users) (50
U.S.C. 167d(b)(1)(D)) and (b)(3)). After meeting that priority, the BLM
will make delivery on a reasonable basis, as described in the crude
helium storage contract, to ensure storage contract holders who have
purchased or won helium at auction have the opportunity during the year
to have that helium produced or refined in monthly increments.
F. Background Documents
Supplementary documents referenced in this Notice are available at
the BLM helium operations Web site at: https://www.blm.gov/nm/helium2017, and include the following:
a. The HSA (50 U.S.C. 167);
b. FY 2017 Helium Auction Notice and Guide;
c. Table of Projected Volumes for Sales and Auctions for Delivery
for FY 2017-FY 2021 (informational);
d. Hypothetical example of how the FY 2017 Allocated Sale would be
conducted (informational);
e. Hypothetical example of how the FY 2017 Non-Allocated Sale would
be conducted (informational);
f. Schedule for Helium Auction and Sale;
g. How to Set Up a Storage Account and Pipeline Access;
h. 2016 Reference Helium Storage Contract (informational); and
i. Required Forms for Helium Reporting.
Authority: The HSA of 2013 (Public Law 113-40) codified to
various sections in 50 U.S.C. 167-167q.
Aden Seidlitz,
Associate State Director.
[FR Doc. 2016-15754 Filed 7-1-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-FB-P
