Greek duo to test hydrogen transport through high-pressure offshore pipelines

December 13, 2024, by Ajsa Habibic

Greece’s Corinth Pipeworks, the steel pipe segment of Cenergy Holdings, has partnered with compatriot IGI Poseidon, a joint venture between DEPA International Projects and Edison S.p.A., to assess the transportation of hydrogen through high-pressure offshore pipelines.

Illustration only; Archive. Courtesy of Corinth Pipeworks

The collaboration aims to provide additional engineering and material understanding for safe and efficient hydrogen transport under high-pressure conditions.

In line with this goal, Corinth Pipeworks and IGI Poseidon focus on an extensive testing campaign of carbon steel linepipe (X70), currently used for natural gas offshore transportation, in a 100% hydrogen environment and under high pressure.

As explained, the qualification of the pipeline has been performed by simulating severe operation conditions to evaluate the effect of hydrogen on material mechanical properties, through a set of different tests and analyses which include slow strain rate tensile test (SSRT), fracture toughness (FT), fatigue crack grow rate (FCGR) and a preliminary engineering critical assessment (ECA) at high pressure.

These activities aim to define and verify the hydrogen readiness of the steel material for an offshore natural gas application at high pressure (200-300 bar).

Corinth Pipeworks and IGI Poseidon plan to present the first results of this campaign in 2025.

Konstantinos Xifaras, Chairman of the Board at IGI Poseidon, said: “Partnering with Corinth Pipeworks brings together cutting-edge materials expertise and a shared commitment to sustainability. Together, we are setting the stage for a new chapter in energy transportation, addressing the complexities of hydrogen infrastructure with confidence and innovation.”

Ilias Bekiros, General Manager at Corinth Pipeworks, commented: “We continuously advance our capabilities and expertise delivering value with responsibility to our customers. Contributing to the energy transition and low carbon fuels is an integral part of our company’s vision.”

As part of its endeavor to meet the growing demand for steel pipes in hydrogen projects as well as offshore natural gas and carbon capture and storage (CCS), Greece’s Corinth Pipeworks, recently completed an upgrade to its production facilities.