On April 23, the "Research and Engineering Technology Development of High-Strength Hydrogen Pipeline Steel" project, jointly undertaken by the company alongside Sinopec Oilfield Equipment Corporation, Hefei General Machinery Research Institute, and other partners, successfully passed a mid-term review organized by Sinopec's Science and Technology Department in Beijing. Attendees included Academician Chen Xuedong of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, representatives from relevant headquarters departments, and Sinopec Star Co., Ltd.
Initiated by the headquarters' Science and Technology Department in early 2024, this project marks a new exploration in hydrogen energy storage and transportation technologies following the successful completion of the "Ultra-High Strength, High-Pressure Hydrogen Storage Materials and Equipment Research" initiative. Over the past year, the company collaborated closely with partners to conduct extensive analysis, comparative studies, and validation work in areas such as high-pressure hydrogen pipeline transport requirements, hydrogen pipeline steel plates, compatible welding materials, and pipeline manufacturing. The team has completed most R&D milestones outlined in the contract, including material development, industrial prototyping, performance evaluation, welding material R&D, hydrogen transport process route design, and manufacturing technique research. These achievements have established a comprehensive suite of technologies spanning process innovation, engineering design, and production, laying a solid foundation for future industrial demonstration applications.
Experts unanimously recognized that the project systematically investigated key aspects of long-distance hydrogen transmission systems, including process flow, pipeline layout, equipment selection, automation control, HSE (Health, Safety, Environment) solutions, and economic analyses. The team also formulated the Technical Specifications for Hydrogen Pipeline System Design. Additionally, the developed pre-welding process for large thickness-to-diameter ratio longitudinal pipes, along with the X65MH steel plates, longitudinal submerged arc welded steel pipes, and matching welding materials, were deemed fit for purpose. Experts recommended further validation through practical hydrogen pipeline engineering applications.