30-5-401. Definitions.

(a) As used in this act:

(i) "Commission" means the Wyoming oil and gas conservation commission and its authorized employees;

(ii) "Compensate" and "compensation" mean monetary payment or other consideration that may include, but is not limited to, the furnishing of materials, labor or equipment;

(iii) "Oil" and "gas" mean as defined in W.S. 30-5-101(a)(vii);

(iv) "Oil and gas operations" means the surface disturbing activities associated with drilling, producing and transporting oil and gas, including the full range of development activity from exploration through production and reclamation of the disturbed surface;

(v) "Oil and gas operator" means a person engaged in oil and gas operations, his designated agents, contractors and representatives;

(vi) "Reclamation" means the restoring of the surface directly affected by oil and gas operations, as closely as reasonably practicable, to the condition that existed prior to oil and gas operations, or as otherwise agreed to in writing by the oil and gas operator and the surface owner;

(vii) "Surety bond or other guaranty" means as defined in W.S. 30-5-101(a)(x);

(viii) "Surface owner" means any person holding any recorded interest in the legal or equitable title, or both, to the land surface on which oil and gas operations occur, as filed of record with the county clerk of the county in which the land is located. "Surface owner" does not include any person or governmental entity that owns all of the land surface and all of the underlying oil and gas estate, or any person or governmental entity that owns only an easement, right-of-way, license, mortgage, lien, mineral interest or nonpossessory interest in the land surface;

(ix) "This act" means W.S. 30-5-401 through 30-5-410.