FGSZ commissions DNV to assess hydrogen shipment through gas pipeline

FGSZ Ltd., owner and operator of the 5,874-km Hungarian high-pressure natural gas transmission pipeline system, has commissioned DNV to assess the suitability for hydrogen transport of FGSZ’s DN600 pipeline and valve station. FGSZ has set up different scenarios to assess the implications of exchanging natural gas with as much as 100% gaseous hydrogen.

As part of the European Green Deal, with the European Climate Law, the EU has set itself a binding target of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. In this context, the EU Hydrogen Strategy provides guidelines and actions for how to kickstart the hydrogen economy. FGSZ is contributing to this strategy by examining the transportability of hydrogen and hydrogen mixtures in the Hungarian natural gas system.

DN600 runs 158 km through southwestern Hungary, connecting Nagykanizsa, Kaposvar, and Kozarmisleny and serving as the Slovenian-Hungarian interconnector. The Hungarian Energy and Public Utility Regulatory Authority (HEA) is examining the possibility of making it bidirectional.

HEA on Nov. 30, 2021, approved the establishment of Serbian-Hungarian natural gas entry capacity of 6 billion cu m/year (bcmy), and increasing this capacity to as much as 8.5 bcmy without additional pipeline development. Work on this this project is expected to be completed by Oct. 1, 2022, when modifications to the Varosfold node are finished.