Italy's Snam buys first hydrogen-certified pipes for gas network

Cenergy Holdings

03/06/2021 11:51

MILAN, June 3 (Reuters) - Italy's Snam  SRG.MI  has ordered
its first supply of steel pipes fully certified to take up to
100% of hydrogen for its natural gas transport network in Italy.
    Europe's biggest gas pipeline operator said on Thursday it
had signed a contract with Cenergy Holding  CENER.BR  unit
Corinth Pipeworks for 440 kilometres of pipes.
    The new high-pressure pipes will be used to replace old ones
that Snam is retiring along its 33,000-km domestic network.
    "This agreement confirms Snam's commitment to making its
infrastructure increasingly ready to transport not only natural
gas and biomethane, but also hydrogen," said Snam's Chief
Industrial Assets Officer Massimo Derchi.
    Snam, which makes most of its revenue from gas transport in
Italy, has pledged to deliver fully decarbonized gas in its
network by 2050.
    It has been experimenting with a 10% mix of hydrogen in part
of its grid and has previously said 70% of its natural gas
network is already made up of "hydrogen-ready" pipes.
    Governments and energy companies around the world are
placing large bets on hydrogen playing a leading role in efforts
to lower greenhouse gas emissions and help decarbonise
energy-intensive industries like steel, heavy transport and
chemicals.

 (Reporting by Stephen Jewkes
Editing by Bernadette Baum)
 ((stephen.jewkes@thomsonreuters.com; +39.0266129695; Reuters
Messaging: stephen.jewkes.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))