Abstract

The world is currently progressing towards energy diversification. Overdependence on limited energy sources has led to the depletion of resources and environmental effects, influencing countries to diversify their sources in order to satisfy the need of energy hungry societies. In this process of diversification, decarbonising the existing gas pipelines is one of the topics of focus. The key questions are:

- Will my existing pipeline be fit-for service in hydrogen service?

- What is the process to assess conversion feasibility and support safe and cost effective repurposing?

The incumbent industry codes of reference do not currently offer a practical approach to duty holders to repurpose linepipe assets safely and economically. At the same time, the enforcement of dubious and undue conservatism could penalise the realisation and the value of a hydrogen chain economy.

Researchers and engineers at ROSEN are actively involved in identifying the challenges and developing practical solutions to support operators through the hydrogen conversion process. Based on the research and experience, a ‘Pipeline Repurposing Roadmap’ has been developed for converting pipelines into hydrogen service. This approach is presented in this paper, with the aim of providing a ‘high level’ manual for operators, who are looking to convert their pipelines for hydrogen transport. The processes emphasises the importance of maximising pipeline utilisation (and the value of the transportation chain), while ensuring that the process is economically viable through a thorough gap analysis, commensurate with the magnitude of the integrity threats.

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