Operational Risks When Transporting Gas and Gas-Hydrogen Mixtures Through Existing Gas Pipelines

Abstract

Ensuring the safe transportation of energy sources is one of Europe’s current problems. Many oil and gas pipelines, especially in Eastern Europe, have operated for over 40–50 years. The paper examines the effect of a corrosive medium (soil electrolyte) on the ability of pipe steels to resist long-time deformation. In acidic environments, the jump-like deformation was detected, which can cause corrosion cracking and subsequent depressurization of the pipe. One of the reasons for this behavior is hydrogen embrittlement, which can become a problem when transporting hydrogen and hydrogen-methane mixtures through existing gas pipelines. A method of predicting changes in the deformation of pipe steels based on the results of corrosion-mechanical tests is proposed.