'No major blockers' | Gas transmission network can be repurposed to 100% hydrogen, three-year 'real life' test concludes

A three-year project led by UK operator National Gas Transmission (NGT) has found no major obstacles to repurposing the existing gas network to transport hydrogen. The FutureGrid facility in northern England, which is the first of its kind globally, used decommissioned assets from the current gas network to conduct real-life trials. Despite delays due to COVID-19, the Ukraine conflict, and technical issues, Phase 1 of the testing concluded in February, a year behind schedule.

The tests, which included hydrogen blends and 100% hydrogen, showed that the existing assets can safely and reliably transport hydrogen. The study noted that hydrogen only leaked from assets that also leaked natural gas. Minor leaks showed a slight difference in the rate of leakage between natural gas and hydrogen, with larger leaks showing up to 2-3 times the rate, as expected.

Rupture tests replicated a significant hydrogen leak, showing rapid ignition of hydrogen, which prevents the formation of a flammable gas cloud. Fatigue tests on a pipe installed in 1999, using various welding techniques, showed no signs of damage after simulating 80 years of high-pressure hydrogen use.

Phase 2 of the project will test compressors and deblending equipment. NGT aims to prove that existing compressors can be economically optimized for hydrogen use, potentially reducing the cost of transitioning to hydrogen. The project also includes testing purification equipment to provide pure hydrogen for vehicle fuel cells.