Grant: CCI Applied Research and Development Grants

Hydrogen is becoming widely used in several industrial applications such as petroleum refineries, fuel cells, power plants, etc. Injecting hydrogen into the existing natural gas (NG) grid infrastructure is one of the main approaches countries and oil and gas companies are considering to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint and move forward with decarbonizing the economy. The Bécancour Waterfront Industrial Park (SPIPB) is an ideal site for green hydrogen production. Hydrogen can be used directly by the user or can be blended with the existing natural gas (NG) grid to form renewable natural gas (RNG). It should also be noted that SPIPB is provided by a 2400 kPa high-pressure line and has an underground distribution network to supply user companies. For SPIPB, the biggest challenge is that the infrastructure is aging. Since the infrastructure is underground, leaks would bedifficult to detect if the hydrogen weakens its structure. This structure, as well as other lines, are made of a material (steel) that is sensitive to hydrogen. This research project will deal with the effects of different hydrogen concentrations and durations on the microstructure and mechanical properties of various aged steels. Finally, the implementation of hydrogen blending into natural gas pipelines can unlock the potential of a vast field of new opportunities such as: • A more efficient method of transporting hydrogen; • The ability to leave hydrogen in the natural gas system to be used by consumers as a greener efficient fuel source; • The aspiration to start consumer use of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.