Coal-bed methane companies may be asked to prove that the production of groundwater is reasonable to achieve gas production in certain areas.

The state may also consider water volume limits in drainages in order to protect existing wildlife and agricultural uses.

Those are the potential results of recommendations State Engineer Patrick Tyrrell made to the Wyoming Coalbed Methane Task Force Wednesday in Casper.

"We find ourselves, at times, in a Sophie's choice situation, in that we want to ensure beneficial use of water. On the other hand, we don't want to (impede development of gas)," Tyrrell said.

His recommendations came at the request of the task force to explore how his office might become more involved in resolving the issue of managing volumes of coal-bed methane water on the surface. In order to produce methane from coal seams, water is pumped from the coal aquifer to release the gas. However, the industry often produces more water than can be put to beneficial use in the historically arid region where agriculture is based on naturally dry conditions.

Tyrrell offered four options. Two would require statutory changes targeting limits within drainages. Two others are already within the state engineer's authority to conserve groundwater resources, and would involve a water-to-gas ratio to justify that the production of water would result in a reasonable payoff of gas production. Those could be written as conditions of permits issued by the state engineer.

The task force agreed by consensus to post the recommendations on its Web site as ideas for further consideration. The task force will seek public comment on the recommendations.