And there have been cases where water wells have been completed in or through coal beds that have methane sorbed on the coal particles and held in place by the hydrostatic head of water. When water is pumped, the hydraulic head is lowered and gas moves into the water stream. It is convenient for activists to blame this on nearby deeper gas wells or fracking when in fact the gas would be released with water pumping in any event and fracking is not the cause.
Yes, methane in the water in some areas goes back far before the Natural Gas production and drilling; long before hydraulic fracturing.