Plans to extract coalbed methane from a site at Airth near Falkirk must be put on hold until concerns over the quality of gas are addressed, a Stirling councillor has claimed.
Troubled Australian company Dart Energy has applied to both Stirling and Falkirk councils for planning permission to extract up to 60 billion cubic feet of underground gas from 14 locations in the two local authority areas.
It has already agreed a £300 million deal with Scottish and Southern Energy to supply gas over the next seven years.
But it is understood the company has been told the calorific value of the gas the amount of energy it produces when burned is less than originally thought. This would affect the amount Dart energy could sell the gas for.
To resolve the problem the gas could be mixed with higher-quality fuel on the grid, which would be more expensive, or Dart could enrich it on site by adding propane to the recovered gas. However, this is a risky and expensive process.
Experts claim 100 tonnes of propane would be needed to bring the gas up to standard while the Health and Safety Executive would have to classify the site a “major accident hazard”.
Dart has applied to sink 22 wells at 14 locations. The controversial plans have already received more than 700 objections.
The councils have already delayed making a decision and it will be next month at the earliest before the plans are considered.
But Green councillor Mark Ruskell has said concerns about having to blend gas make “a mockery” of Dart’s plans.
He added: “It’s clear that a moratorium is required at the very least until the planning system is able to address all the concerns that unconventional gas developments are raising.”
A spokesman for Dart Energy refused to say what the company estimates the calorific value of the coalbed methane extracted at Airth will be.
But he said: “As with all commodities, the gas company will buy Dart’s gas at its value and we are committed to the current planning application as we have been over the years.”