Greece to build 163 km of hydrogen-ready pipeline

Greek gas firm DESFA has awarded a contract to Corinth Pipeworks for the construction of 163 km of gas pipeline in West Macedonia that is certified to transport up to 100% hydrogen, the two companies said in a joint statement on February 3.

The coated steel pipes will be manufactured at Corinth's plant in Thisvi, with deliveries scheduled to take in the second half of 2022 and the first half of 2023.

Hydrogen has gained significant traction as a potential solution for decarbonising industry in Europe since the European Commission published its landmark hydrogen strategy in mid-2020. It is envisaged that existing and planned natural gas pipelines can be converted for hydrogen transport once the market for the fuel has developed. 

DESFA is one of 23 gas transmission system operators participating in European Hydrogen Backbone, an initiative to develop a 40,000-km European hydrogen network consisting of repurposed gas pipelines and dedicated hydrogen ones. This network stretches across 21 countries.

Corinth certified pipes for hydrogen transport last year, and has now opened a hydrogen testing laboratory, the company said in a separate release on February 1. This laboratory has been designed to test pipeline material in hydrogen gas in pure or blended form under static load conditions and high pressure of up to 207 bars.

The facility will help with qualification testing of new hydrogen pipelines and research and development work. It is due to be upgraded this year for fracture toughness testing under rising load conditions and evaluation of fatigue resistance.