NOVELTY - Groundwater is produced from artesian aquifer(s) saturated with dissolved methane in a production well (1) equipped with a positive displacement pump. Water is piped in a closed system into a gas/water separator (2) at, or slightly above, ground level. Spent water exits the bottom of the separator and is pumped into the spent water disposal well (3) where it is returned to the artesian aquifer(s). Separated methane flows out the top of the separator to a low-pressure gas compressor (4). From there the gas is shipped.    USE - Dissolved methane production by separation of methane from groundwater.    ADVANTAGE - The method enables economical extraction of dissolved methane through the use of deep artesian wells, high volume pumps, standard oil field separators, high volume-low pressure compressors, and large capacity-low pressure, pipelines. Extracted methane can be compressed and distributed for sale in the continental trunk line pipeline system, or burned as compressed natural gas in generators, vehicles and ship. The process provides a commercially viable replacement for depleted dry gas fields.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Groundwater is produced from artesian aquifer(s) saturated with dissolved methane in a production well equipped with a positive displacement pump. Water is piped in a closed system into a gas/water separator at, or slightly above, ground level. Spent water exits the bottom of the separator and is pumped into the spent water disposal well where it is returned to the artesian aquifer(s). Separated methane flows out the top of the separator to a low-pressure gas compressor. From there the gas is shipped in a low-pressure gathering line to a high-pressure compressor (5). Gas is then compressed by a high-pressure compressor and injected into a trunk gas line for sale.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows a conceptual view of the process developed to separate dissolved methane from groundwater.    Production well (1)    Gas-water separator (2)    Spent water disposal well (3)    Low-pressure gas compressor (4)    High-pressure compressor (5)