The German Government Plans to Convert the "Nord Stream" Gas Pipeline's Subsequent Pipelines into Hydrogen Transmission Pipelines
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The subsequent pipelines of the "Nord Stream" gas pipeline will be converted into hydrogen transmission pipelines. Image.
The Opal gas pipeline, which is the onshore extension of the "Nord Stream" gas pipeline, is being converted for hydrogen transport, and the northern section of the project has been completed.
Uniper, a German gas importer, in a statement about exiting the project and selling its 20% stake, said that the hydrogen transmission conversion of the northern section of the Opal pipeline was completed by mid-December, and the southern section is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2030.
The company stated, "The Opal pipeline is one of the largest gas transmission corridors in Europe, with a total length of approximately 4,701 kilometers, starting from Lubmin in Germany and ending at Brandova in the Czech Republic. According to Germany's hydrogen network construction plan, the conversion of the northern section of the Opal pipeline was completed by mid-December 2025, and the conversion of the southern section will be completed by the end of 2030."
Uniper also announced that it has initiated the process of selling its 20% stake in the project.
Gascade, the operator of the Opal pipeline, did not directly mention the name of the Opal pipeline but stated that it has successfully converted about 400 kilometers of existing pipelines into hydrogen transmission pipelines this year.
Gascade revealed, "The facilities in Lubmin (the connection point between the Opal pipeline and the 'Nord Stream' pipeline) are about to resume construction. During the construction process, so-called 'open flame treatment' technology will be used — that is, controlled open burning, used for safe emission and combustion of small amounts of residual natural gas that cannot be technically extracted."
The Opal pipeline previously transported the "Nord Stream" gas, and until April 2022, part of it was under the control of Gazprom. In April 2022, the German government placed Gazprom Germania, the German subsidiary of Gazprom, under the management of the Federal Network Agency.
After the conversion, the Opal pipeline will become an important part of Germany's hydrogen transmission network.
German operators stated, "Under the framework of the 'Flow' program, the first pipelines have started transporting gas — hydrogen will be transported along a north-south axis, from the Baltic Sea to Saxony-Anhalt, forming the core part of Germany's hydrogen network. Currently, the hydrogen transportation infrastructure has officially entered the market."
In the future, Germany plans to extend the hydrogen transportation network southward to industrial hub areas.
Alexey Grivache, vice chairman of the Russian State Energy Security Fund (ФНЭБ), pointed out that Germany currently lacks sufficient hydrogen production capacity and corresponding consumer markets.
He said, "Moreover, the existing infrastructure is not suitable for pure hydrogen transportation. The pipeline may still be able to withstand it, but the compressors must be replaced. I think this is just a futile effort to obtain national and institutional subsidies, aimed at maintaining survival in the face of insufficient gas transportation volume."
The Nel pipeline, which runs parallel to the Opal pipeline, is an extension of the "Nord Stream 2" gas pipeline, but unlike the main pipeline from Russia to Germany, this pipeline had already been put into operation earlier to transport "Nord Stream" gas.
Previously, Western media reported that American investors showed interest in the "Nord Stream" pipeline, which was damaged by sabotage in September 2022. At the same time, the pipeline operator itself also plans to resume operations after the end of the conflict in Ukraine.
Original: toutiao.com/article/7584673175012409906/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.