Future Energy Networks

Laboratory and full-scale testing have demonstrated that hydrogen gas affects the fracture performance of pipeline steel welds. To avoid severe knockdown factors stipulated by existing hydrogen pipeline codes, mechanical property data from welds tested in high-pressure gaseous hydrogen is required to enable optimised operation of the NTS in hydrogen.

National Gas Transmission have conducted a series of fracture toughness and fatigue crack growth rate tests on a wide selection of pipeline steels and welds representative of those used on the National Transmission System (NTS). A thorough review of the welds tested and how these compare to the wider population of welds in service on the NTS is required to provide further confidence to use this data in pipeline repurposing assessments and for new build design.

This project is looking to address uncertainties surrounding LTS pipeline materials by investigating the effect of the oxide layer on hydrogen permeation rate for steel pipelines. This project will also investigate the formation of an oxide layer inside the pipe at different temperatures, as well as how the microstructure of the pipeline steel and condition of the oxide layer affect permeation for different grades of steel. It is critical this relation is better understood as these uncertainties are currently hindering our ability to fully and accurately assess the repurposing of the LTS. The outcomes of this project have the potential to increase cost-savings and improve confidence in the existing network to carry hydrogen, including blends.

This project will help WWU to understand considerations for 100% Hydrogen Rollout at a town scale, to inform future activity on preparation for repurposing. Areas will be chosen which are representative of different networks, housing stock and demographics, which will require different approaches and engagement.

In order to support UK ambitions for hydrogen blending and the development of a hydrogen economy, National Gas will need to install new gas chromatographs with the capability to measure hydrogen up to 20% in a natural gas blend. At present hydrogen is not measured anywhere on the National Transmission System (NTS), and therefore there are no proven in-use devices, and limited experience within the company to allow effective decision making in deploying these assets in the move towards net zero.

In order to make informed decisions ahead of chromatograph fleet upgrade, and to allow for a wide selection of reliable device choices when it comes to that upgrade, National Gas require the testing of available devices to analyse their performance, and thus suitability for NTS installation. This project will employ a trusted testing house to obtain (through loaning) blend-ready chromatographs from suppliers, and then to rigorously examine the performance of those devices. These devices could be tested at the testing house’s site, or at the instrument vendor’s site.

Cadent proposes to trial “Digital Inspector” (DI), an innovative platform that enhances real-time control, inspection, and recording of pipeline construction activities. Digital Inspector provides verifiable evidence of weld quality, supervises critical parameters live during construction, and generates a complete digital record for asset integrity.

This project will trial Digital Inspector across multiple Cadent construction projects in 2025/26, working closely with Cadent’s contractors, to assess practical usability, contractor acceptance, and the impact on existing BAU processes.

As part of National Gas’s Three Molecule strategy, the technical evidence for the transportation of hydrogen and carbon dioxide through the National Transmission system is being gathered through the HyNTS and CO₂ programmes. This technical evidence will feed into the updates of NGT’s suite of policies and procedures which are used to demonstrate compliance with the Gas Safety (Management) Regulations (GSMR), Pipeline Safety Regulations (PSR) and Pressure System Safety Regulations (PSSR).

This project will develop the approaches to compliance with regulations for hydrogen, hydrogen blends and CO₂, considering both new build and repurposed assets. The project will also define how the NTS Safety Case of the future will look, including modular design and digitalisation to streamline access to information.

Existing defect assessments and repair methodologies are aligned with the T/PM/P/11 and T/PM/P/20 management procedures and are adopted to inspect, assess and repair the pipelines for defects and take suitable measures to reduce them. However, the scope and applicability of the repair techniques in the presence of high-pressure hydrogen remain uncertain. The key questions which form an outline of the project are:

1. What are the different types of defects, we may encounter or consider injurious in the presence of hydrogen?
2. What is the impact of hydrogen on each defect type? Have the mechanisms of failure changed for each defect type after hydrogen-natural gas blending?
3. Will the existing repair techniques be applicable under transmission of high-pressure hydrogen and hydrogen-natural gas blends?
4. Can we implement the defect assessment, inspection and repair methodologies safely? Are the techniques safe and suitable for the pipeline operations and maintenance teams?

The project seeks to answer the above in addition to understanding the types and extent of repairs across the NTS and assess the impact of hydrogen on the effectiveness of these inspection, assessment and mitigation technologies.

NGN currently operate a Lotus Notes application with a bespoke electronic Logbook system to capture all of the activity with day and planned ahead that occurs within our gas control centre. This system has been in operation since 1997 and has proven to be a highly reliable and flexible tool to manage planned works, faults, general site activity and wider issues.

The current technology is outdated and contains years’ worth of data causing it to be slow. There are no links between Lotus notes and other vital control room applications (SCADA etc.). Raising faults becomes a tedious task and the Logbook and other in-apps are not user friendly. There are no updates available to improve the existing system.

The current system needs to be replaced but to achieve that we need a full exploration of where technology can deliver to our requirements, and to fully explore the impact of net zero and what new functionality may be required to manage the transition to net zero.

This is an early stage feasibility project to understand all of the challenges, opportunities and risks that UK GDNs face with their systems, in order to help facilitate the transition to net zero energy systems.

The MASiP Phase 3 project aims to develop, test, and qualify a new pipeline system (MASiP) as a safe and cost-effective alternative to traditional steel pipelines for pipelines operating above 7 bar, capable of transporting natural gas, biogas, and up to 100% hydrogen. Building on Phases 1 and 2, this phase focuses on the technical assessment of tight radius bends, tees, and damage repair, as well as the integration of live monitoring systems in a prototype operational environment. Comprehensive validation will include connectors, coatings, repair systems, hot-tapping solutions, ground movement tolerance, durability, and design life testing. All testing will be carried out in accordance with IGEM, API, and ASME standards, supported by statistical and independently witnessed trials to generate robust qualification data for industry adoption. The key deliverable is a validated, deployable hydrogen-ready pipeline system that is safe, compliant, and cost-effective, offering potential cost savings of up to 50% compared with steel. The project outcomes will support the UK’s RIIO-GD2 strategy and 2050 net-zero targets by enabling hydrogen-ready infrastructure, improving monitoring, installation efficiency, and long-term reliability, while also providing the evidence base required for regulatory, policy, and industry acceptance of alternative pipeline materials.