Hydrogen Pipeline Standards

PRCI Provides Guidance for the Addition of Hydrogen Pipeline Requirements to ASME B31.8 Standard

The Emerging Fuels Institute (EFI) of the Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI) has completed a Consensus Engineering Requirement (CER) project to translate and update the pipeline language from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) B31.12 Hydrogen Pipelines Standard to establish a new exception chapter for hydrogen pipelines in the ASME B31.8 Gas Transmission and Distribution Piping Systems Standard. The resulting report is a comprehensive, practical guide that will support fit-for-purpose projects and help maintain pipeline safety.

“This change will result in a more efficient application of clear, consensus-based hydrogen rules for piping systems by consolidating these rules into the standards that are most often used by our industry partners,” said Chris Cantrell, ASME’s senior managing director of standards and engineering services. “ASME would like to thank our volunteers, our staff, and PRCI staff and volunteers for working with us to meet pipeline industry needs and to advance the use of hydrogen to promote a clean energy future.” More than 200 individuals from ASME, PRCI, and the broader pipeline community reviewed the project and provided comments as the project progressed.

“This collaborative effort exemplifies PRCI's mission to advance pipeline safety and innovation through research-driven solutions,” said Cliff Johnson, president of PRCI. “By combining our Emerging Fuels Institute with ASME's expertise, we've created a practical framework to help standardize hydrogen pipeline requirements within the widely used B31.8 standard. This achievement demonstrates how industry-led research can effectively strengthen standards and accelerate the safe deployment of emerging fuels through the global pipeline infrastructure.”

(Source: ASME Press Release)