Wyoming Framework Water Plan - Living Rivers Home Page

6.0 PROJECTIONS
discharged. The companies also drill water wells to provide water for enhanced recovery of oil. Actual
water withdrawals are not monitored so the actual amount of water used or discharged by the industry is
difficult to determine. Approaches to estimating water use for oil production and refining in the seven
river basin areas differ considerably. Detailed information on the approach used and results are contained
in the individual river basin plans and associated technical memoranda.
6.4.4 Coalbed Methane and Natural Gas Production
Natural gas and coalbed methane (CBM) development use little water in exploration and
production. CBM usually produces water during the methane extraction process.
CBM production has become widespread in the Northeast Wyoming River Basin and the
Powder/Tongue River Basin over the past few years and is expected to increase in the future. CBM
development is not a consumptive user of water resources but produces groundwater as a by-product of
gas production. The process involves pumping water from coal seams to relieve pressure on methane gas
so that it can be captured at the surface. The availability and disposal of CBM process water present both
problems and opportunities in the formulation of a water plan. Figure 6-2 shows the locations of CBM
wells and development areas.
In the Northeast Wyoming River Basin Plan, projected CBM water production for Northeast
Wyoming was expected to reach a peak of about 55,000 acre-feet annually by the year 2004. Production
was expected to remain at that level for about five years and then drop off to less than 2,000 acre-feet
annually by the year 2019.
In the Powder/Tongue River Basins Plan, projected water production for Powder/Tongue River
Basin CBM wells was expected to reach a peak of about 190,000 acre-feet annually by the year 2005.
Production was expected to remain at that level for about five years, and then drop off to less than 25,000
acre-feet annually by the year 2019. More recent studies by the Wyoming State Geological Survey
(Trihydro, 2005) reduced previously published estimates for CBM production through 2010. Figure 6-3
shows the historical and projected numbers of producing
wells and production from that report. Figure 6-4 shows
the cumulative production of both water and gas from
CBM development. Significant volumes of water have
been produced by this industry. Figure 6-5 shows the
CBM production regions and the volumes of water and
CBM that have been produced.
If the dramatic projected drop-off in CBM
production water occurs as indicated in the Northeast
Wyoming River Basin and the Powder/Tongue River
Basin, it poses problems for the potential use of CBM
production water for industrial purposes such as electric power generation. Most large industrial facilities
have design lives of 35 to 50 years or longer, while the projections show that large amounts of CBM
water will be available for only a relatively short period.
At least one power company has expressed an interest in using CBM water for cooling purposes
in Northeast Wyoming. There are several potential problems with implementing such a proposal,
however. One problem is the life expectancy of the resource as mentioned above. Also, the CBM
industry is composed of a large number of companies. Organizing those individuals and companies and
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