Research

This project provides industry with a Code of Practice (CoP) for Hydrogen pipeline design and operation, including pipelines carrying hydrogen/methane blends and existing pipelines that are converted to hydrogen service and covering both carbon steel and composite materials.

The Australian pipeline industry will benefit from the CoP as a guidance document that addresses all the unique requirements relating to hydrogen, and provides recommendations for meeting the intent of AS 2885 in the design of a hydrogen pipeline, both for adoption of existing assets, future proofing of new assets for a future conversion and development of new hydrogen pipelines. The industry will also benefit from understanding how to adopt hydrogen safely with both carbon steel and composite pipeline materials.

A future phase of this project is anticipated at the end of the FFCRC life, to incorporate outcomes of research that has not yet been completed.

The outcome of this work is a guidance document that can be used by pipeline industry professionals to support the design or retrofitting of pipelines for hydrogen service. Ultimately the Code of Practice will support the next revision of the AS 2885 series to adopt hydrogen as a fluid within the scope of the standard series. It is expected the Code of Practice will remain a ‘live’ document to continue to be amended as research and experience develops improved understanding and enables application of more accurate theory and models to lower the cost of transmission pipelines in this service.

The CoP is intended to enable the use of transmission pipelines in hydrogen service through:

• Re-purposing of our existing transmission infrastructure installed and operating in Australia, for blended hydrogen or potentially pure hydrogen in the future.
• Ensuring new near term pipeline assets designed for transmission of petroleum fluids, consider and implement practical design and construction requirements for future hydrogen service to maximise the potential for a future conversion.
• Efficient design, construction and operation of new hydrogen pipelines to be readily adopted under the AS 2885 framework in the future.
• Review and providing recommendations for adoption of composite materials in hydrogen pipeline service, and enabling these to be adopted in the future under AS 2885 (i.e. broadening the scope of AS 2885.1 Appendix S: Fibreglass Pipe– Manufacture Design & Construction Guidelines).

Douglas Proud

Research & Utilisation Program Coordinator

douglas.proud@futurefuelscrc.com