CASPER – A new rule designed to ease the number of drilling applications received by the state and level the playing field for oil and gas operators appears to be working as intended, recent data collected by the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission shows.

In December, the rule change went into effect. Between January and September, the commission received 2,226 applications to drill — an over 99% decrease compared to the same period last year.

Supervisor Mark Watson told lawmakers during a Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee meeting Thursday that the ne...