Grangemouth hydrogen pipeline: Ineos move ahead with £30 million trial project

In May Ineos announced SGN had received funding from the Energy Regulator and gas distribution companies to enable it to move forward with plans to undertake trials at Grangemouth to test the repurposing of the Local Transmission System (LTS) from natural gas to hydrogen.

It is hoped the trial will support the UK and Scottish Governments’ hydrogen strategies and generate important insights into the benefits of using hydrogen in the UK’s

energy system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensuring a just transition.

Over the last year Ineos has been working closely with SGN in developing and further refining the project.

Drone surveys have been carried out along Bo’ness Road and at various locations across Grangemouth and Kinneil to acertain the engineering and infrastructure

required to enable the firm to deliver hydrogen currently produced at the KG ethylene plant via new tie-ins.

Now the initial phases of the £30 million project are complete, SGN – the operator of the gas transmission network – is now getting into the more detailed elements of

the project.

Paul Barrett, sustainability project engineer, said: “The 40km stretch of pipeline from Grangemouth to Granton, near Edinburgh, that is to be the subject of the trial is

typical of that already in use up and down the country and is therefore representative of what is buried underground.

"What makes this an ideal trial location is the combination of unique factors – the close proximity to the IneosG rangemouth site, a ready and reliable source of high

quality hydrogen, and, of course, our team of employees who are experts in the manufacture, transportation and use of this carbon-free fuel.

"If we are able to prove the pipeline is suitable for hydrogen use, this will unlock the potential for decarbonising the energy used and delivered to millions of homes and

businesses via the 11,000km of existing pipelines criss-crossing the UK.

"It also offers the exciting prospect to further develop plans for a hydrogen hub at Grangemouth, centred on our low- carbon hydrogen plant investment.”