Repurposing Compression Equipment for Hydrogen

Quarter 1 is now complete of our 40-month flagship project “HyNTS FutureGrid Compression”. Here’s an update and our reflections on where we are and the work still to be done.

The project’s aim is to develop solutions for repurposing the current UK natural gas network to transport blends and eventually 100% hydrogen. Repurposing is vital to accelerating the energy transition while at the same time reducing the cost to the consumer.

Advancing from the successful completion of the award-winning HyNTS FutureGrid Phase 1 project undertaken by National Gas and DNV, expansion of the test facility is vital to demonstrate that hydrogen can be transported safely and securely nationwide, just as it is today for natural gas. The project will determine the most cost effective, technically feasible solution for hydrogen compression on the National Transmission System (NTS) and will aid in developing the strategy for the overall hydrogen transition.

Phase 1 testing is currently underway with baseline data already recorded for 100% natural gas, at present they are testing a 2% hydrogen in a natural gas blend, before proceeding to 5%, 20% and 100% hydrogen over the coming months. The test consists of flowing the blend through a series of interlinked decommissioned assets which have been repurposed and brought back into service, after previously seeing 20-30 years of service on the NTS.

Phase 2 will require a 1km test loop to test the compression system, enabling the demonstration of further decommissioned assets representing what can be found today on the live high pressure gas network.

Centrifugal gas compressors are used across the globe today to increase pressures and flows within pipelines. Gas compressors in the UK enable enormous volumes of natural gas to be transported to customers safely and securely, utilising over 7600km of National Gas pipelines, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Today, National Gas use over 70 gas compression units across the UK to import, export and transport natural gas to consumers. The gas compressors are also used to compress gas within the pipeline for energy storage, a technique called ‘linepack’. This is key to the physical operation of the network, ensuring it can always meet demand to keep lights on and homes heated during the winter months.

Next, HyNTS FutureGrid will relocate and repurpose a gas compression system currently located and operating at Huntingdon Compressor Station. This asset represents a large percentage of the NTS compression assets used within the National Gas fleet.

There have been several challenges identified in repurposing our largest and most expensive asset on the NTS. These have been reviewed in detail with experts across the industry through the ‘HyNTS Compression’ Discovery and Alpha project phases. Potential solutions have been identified for each challenge which will now be demonstrated through the HyNTS FutureGrid Compression “Beta” phase of work. This will ensure that when we’re ready to transition the UK Gas network we can do it safely, quickly and at the lowest possible cost.

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