TIC Council Releases Second Edition of Survey on Hydrogen Pipelines

The TIC Council’s Industrial Life Cycle Services Committee produced a report on the current state of the legislative, regulatory and standardisation landscape governing the transportation of hydrogen through new and existing pipelines.

This initiative recognises the substantial global investment in developing the industrial infrastructure required to utilise hydrogen as a sustainable fuel. While dedicated hydrogen pipelines date back to 1938 and regulatory frameworks are evolving on the basis of long standing industrial experience, rapid industrial build-up may risk gaps and divergences in legislative, regulatory and standardisation frameworks for the safe handling and transportation of hydrogen. The overview aims to provide a clear understanding of the current landscape, with a focus on Europe, to help readers identify trends, gaps and potential inconsistencies at national level.

The report is composed of the following sections:

• Legislative survey: Eight-question survey designed to collect information on the current state of legislation, existing infrastructure and future projects related to hydrogen pipelines. While the focus is primarily on Europe, information from other countries with significant hydrogen investments is also included for reference. Survey respondents were experts from TIC Council member companies with direct knowledge of the countries in which they operate. Summarised results are presented along with compiled responses and additional information.
• Issues to be addressed when designing and constructing hydrogen pipelines: Technical flow chart highlighting key risks, hazards, and mitigation measures in the design and construction of hydrogen pipelines. It compares hydrogen with compressed natural gas and references relevant standards and guidelines to mitigate risks and hazards.
• Overview of standards: Known standards applicable to piping and pipelines handling pure hydrogen or hydrogen mixtures, as well as piping in liquid hydrogen services. The database covers standards both published and under development, providing clarity on their scope and the responsible entities.
• Overview of technical guidelines: Publications relating to the design, construction and reconstruction of pipelines for hydrogen transportation, issued by European industry associations or similar bodies. These documents, often behind paywalls and in local languages, contain key technical specifications for hydrogen infrastructure.
• Overview of academic and technical publications: Literature focused on hydrogen transportation through pipelines and related materials science issues. This includes references to journals and projects on topics such as hydrogen embrittlement, pipeline integrity, blending with natural gas and safety standards, with details on titles, sources, authors, abstracts and web links.

Read the full report here.