The potential to use existing natural gas pipeline infrastructure to safely transport hydrogen is being evaluated by U.K. gas operator SGN.

A field trial was recently completed on a 30 km stretch of Local Transmission System (LTS) pipeline in Scotland. This 11,600 km pipeline network transfers gas from the national system to homes, businesses and industries in local communities, representing a possible tool for expanding clean hydrogen networks and consumption.

Live trial drilling operation. Source: SGN

During the trial, engineers completed several key tasks on the pipeline while it was carrying hydrogen. Preparation for and tests of hydrogen flow in the high-pressure system entailed welding and drilling on the live pipeline, and flow stopping to isolate hydrogen in a section of the pipe. This marks the first time these activities, considered essential for safely operating and maintaining gas pipelines, have been applied to a hydrogen pipeline in the U.K.

The tests confirmed that this section was safely repurposed to carry hydrogen, and the resulting data will be used to formulate a plan for repurposing the entire LTS to hydrogen. By retrofitting existing pipes instead of constructing new ones, infrastructure costs could decline by up to 40% as green hydrogen supply increases.