Hydrogen and Natural Gas Blending in Gas Network - A Case Study of Kalgoorlie-Kambalda-Esperance Gas Pipelines in Western Australia

Hydrogen (H₂) blending in natural gas (NG) pipelines is one of the pragmatic solutions to reduce the carbon footprint from natural gas usage. This work evaluates the potential of H₂-NG blending in the Kalgoorlie-Kambalda-Esperance (KKE) - a part of the Western Australia (WA) transmission network. This work reports the effect of varying gas compositions such as H₂, H₂O, CO₂, and CH₄ on corrosion, erosion, and pressure profiles in the KKE. The Kalgoorlie-Kambalda-Esperance pipeline is owned by APA Group and Esperance Pipeline Company in WA, and it is a 394-kilometre transmission pipeline that extends from Kalgoorlie to Esperance in WA. A simulation model of the KKE was developed using PIPESIM-Net software and a GIS map to replicate the steady-state flow of gaseous streams accurately. Appropriate boundary conditions were applied at the network's nodes, including the source and sinks, to ensure the model's reliability. All necessary input data for the model were taken from the APA website, published reports, and literature. Initially, the model was validated using historical data from the APA group. Then, sensitivity analysis was conducted with varying concentrations of H₂and CH₄, CO2, and H₂O to evaluate the impact of gradually increasing hydrogen concentration within the flowing stream on the network's overall performance. This analysis provides valuable insights into the impact of hydrogen concentration on the system, offering a comprehensive assessment of potential risks and opportunities of H₂-NG blending in transmission networks. The developed model highlights distinct pressure profile fluctuations as the H₂ fraction increases from 0% to 100%. Notably, a consistent pressure increase is observed within the 0-20% H₂ concentration range. Furthermore, the study indicates a slight reduction in corrosion rate, even at maximum allowable concentrations of corrosive components such as water and carbon dioxide. On the other hand, the erosional velocity ratio (EVR) exhibits a negligible increase with rising H₂%. Both corrosion rate and EVR remain well within industry-accepted limits, further affirming the overall viability and safety of the system. The main novelty of this work is that no similar report is available in the literature where the KKE is simulated to explore the pressure, corrosion, and erosion effects of H₂-NG blending.