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2009

Preferential Emissions Study

Abstract

The characteristics of transmission pressure hydrogen and natural gas blends are not fully understood, including relative leakage behaviour. This project will test whether or not methane and hydrogen within a blend leak at the same rates, or whether due to its small size, hydrogen will leak at a ratio greater than its relative concentration, and whether it leaks where methane does not.

Understanding the leak behaviour of hydrogen in a natural gas blend will ensure we can operate a blended system safely, particularly in enclosed spaces, and will ensure that the carbon benefit of hydrogen enrichment is not lost through fugitive emissions. Also, as green hydrogen is currently significantly more expensive than natural gas, the shrinkage costs associated with hydrogen fugitive emissions could be considerable.

It is not completely understood how hydrogen will behave as part of a natural gas blend, particularly at transmission pressures. This includes whether or not hydrogen will leak ‘preferentially’ - IE, it will leak out of a system at a rate disproportionate to other gases within the gas mix. This project will produce a ratio describing relative leak concentrations for 5% and 20% blends, at transmission pressure (~70barg.)

It is not understood whether the size of a leak has any bearing on the gas components leaking – important for hydrogen which is challenging to contain. This project will quantify ch4 and h2 in a range of leak sizes.

Gas networks should understand the implications of hydrogen blending to ensure that the carbon benefits of hydrogen blending are not lost through increased emissions, and so that networks do not incur greater shrinkage costs that will eventually be passed onto consumers.

The findings from the project will be uploaded to the ENA Smarter Networks portal and will be shared via National Gas innovation social media.

file format pdf download NIA_NGT0260_Preferential_Emissions_Study.pdf
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2025-04-01
2025-08-09
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