What do subsurface rights pertain to?

Subsurface rights specifically refer to the ownership and rights associated with the resources found beneath the surface of a parcel of land. This includes liquids, gases, and minerals that may be extracted or used.

Understanding subsurface rights is crucial in real estate and property law because they often separate these rights from surface rights, which pertain to the land and any structures or natural resources directly above it. The theme of subsurface rights is significant in practices such as mineral extraction, oil drilling, and water rights, where the ownership of the resources below ground can differ from that of the land above.

In contrast, rights regarding water usage or surface land are more focused on what is above ground or the usage of water resources at the surface level, thus distinguishing them from subsurface rights.