A public inquiry is to open tomorrow into a controversial £120million bid to extract natural gas from unmined Scots coal reserves.
Dart Energy is looking to develop the coal bed methane scheme at Airith, near Falkirk.
But the Australian firm has faced stiff opposition from local campaigners over its project, which would release methane from unmined coal-seams through pumping out water to release the pressure on the gas.
Last year the company threatened legal action against a board member of the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency over comments made on twitter about the project.
Dart is looking to drill 22 wells on the site, which was first proposed two years ago, along with gas tracks, water treatment plant and delivery systems.
A public inquiry was called by the Scottish Government over the proposals, which will begin three weeks of hearings into the plans.
“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,” said Dart UK country manager Douglas Bain.