We're happy to see that when Wyoming lawmakers finally tackled the split estates issue four years ago, they apparently got it just about right.

Until the passage of the Wyoming Split Estates Act, which controls procedures for oil and gas development when the mineral ownership has been split from the surface, the mineral developer's right of access was considered primary and fundamental. The 2005 law requires the developer to make reasonable accommodation of existing surface uses.

For the first time, the law also gave the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission authority to require oil and gas developers to post bond or other surety to protect the surface owners from damage.

While some predicted the commission would be buried with appeals of its rulings on the bond amounts, State Lands Board Director Lynne Boomgaarden said only 11 objections have been filed, and five of those were withdrawn. "It seems to be working on the ground," she said.

The law has helped ensure that mineral developers have early and full communications with the surface owners about their plans, which has understandably eased the number of conflicts. While there are probably improvements that can still be made to the law, all parties should be generally pleased with the results so far.