A public inquiry into plans to drill for gas in Falkirk is to begin later.

The controversial proposals by Dart Energy suggest drilling 22 wells in an area near Airth in order to extract methane from the coal bed deep underground.

Coal bed methane is natural gas released from deep un-mined coal seams by pumping out water from the coal seam. This, in turn, releases the gas held in the coals by the water pressure.

In addition to the above, the plans also involve the development of Inter-Site Connection Services, site access tracks, a Gas Delivery and Water Treatment Facility, ancillary facilities, infrastructure and associated water outfall point.

The site in question lies along the boundary of Falkirk and Stirling Councils.

Douglas Bain, UK Country Manager, said: "We are pleased to have the opportunity through the public inquiry of demonstrating the important strategic role gas will need to play in delivering safe, secure and economical energy to the UK in the coming decades as we transition to a low carbon economy."

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More than 2,500 people have lodged objections to the proposals however.

While Dart Energy has insisted the project will not involve hydraulic fracturing or "fracking", environmental group Friends of the Earth Scotland, have said coal bed methane extraction has similar risks to the process of extracting shale gas by hydraulic fracturing.

Mary Church, Head of Campaigns at Friends of the Earth Scotland, explained: "By drilling into untouched coal seams and mobilising methane and toxic chemicals to escape through faults in the ground, Dart's proposals could seriously jeopardise Scotland's climate targets as well as posing grave questions for local communities.

"In countries like Australia where the industry is more developed, it has failed to prove that the processes involved are safe and communities are starting to see the devastating impacts on their health and way of life.

"It's increasingly clear that the public health and environmental risks of unconventional gas drilling are inherent and impossible to eliminate. What's more, Scotland has abundant renewable energy sources, so we we don't need this new risky gas."

Dart Energy has said the public inquiry will help to alleviate concerns within the local community, as well as "correct the many myths surrounding the production of coal bed methane."

The inquiry is expected to last three weeks.

(JP/IT)