Under the name Delphy, Vallourec is proposing to facilitate large-scale storage of gaseous hydrogen using tubes. As a matter of fact, columns of tubes make it possible to store between 1 and 100 tonnes underground, in complete safety and with a minimal footprint.

Vallourec, a specialist in tubular solutions for the energy sector (oil and gas), is now tackling mass storage of hydrogen. Its new solution was demonstrated on December 5, 2023, as explained in this press release. The company installed a vertical compressed hydrogen gas storage demonstrator at its Aulnoye-Aymeries plant in northern France.

This modular system has a small footprint, which makes it easier to integrate into constrained industrial environments. Above all, it offers a secure solution for large-scale hydrogen storage. Vallourec is committed to ensuring that the pipes and connections are hydrogen-tight, and to training and certifying the technicians who install them.

Vallourec will monitor and maintain the equipment.

“The emerging hydrogen market offers excellent growth prospects. It demonstrates the value of our technologies to the new energy sectors and confirms the Group’s ambition to be a key player in the energy transition and low-carbon economy within the 2050 timeframe,” comments Philippe Guillemot, Chairman and CEO of Vallourec.

You can watch a video presentation of the process here. To find out more about Vallourec’s approach to hydrogen you can click on this page.

Do you want to find out more about different forms of hydrogen storage? Then our latest 2 articles on the subject should be of interest to you. You can read them here and there. 

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Article written by Laurent Meillaud and translated by Logan King