DESFA, the Hellenic Gas Transmission System Operator, on Thursday, February 3, awarded Corinth Pipework’s contract for the construction of a 163km long West Macedonia pipeline in Greece, the company said in a press release.

The pipeline will be the first-ever high-pressure gas pipeline in Greece, and one of the first in Europe certified to transport up to 100 percent hydrogen. The newly awarded project is part of the European Hydrogen Backbone and Europe's hydrogen infrastructure critical to achieving the continent's energy and climate objectives.

DESFA and Corinth Pipework’s collaboration offers economically and technically feasible solutions for safely transporting high-pressure hydrogen through high-strength steel pipelines with large diameters. As such, gas pipelines produced and deployed today to the pipeline networks can cover tomorrow's energy mix.

The contract relates to the development of Greece's natural gas pipelines supplying the country's northern region of West Macedonia and paving the way for the country's future gas grid development. The entire pipeline comprises 163 kilometers of coated steel pipes (97 km of LSAW30" & 66km of ERW 14" and 10").

Out of the proposals sent to the vetting team, Corinth Pipework’s proposal was deemed the most advantageous for DESFA. All the quantity of the certified hydrogen gas pipes will be manufactured in Corinth Pipework’s Thisvi plant in Greece, with the first deliveries planned for the second half of 2022 and the last batch delivered in the first half of 2023.

"We  are  very  happy  to  work  together  with  Corinth  Pipeworks,  one  of  the  world's  leading  manufacturers  of  steel pipes  and  hollow  sections  for  our  industry,  on  the  construction  of  the  new  pipeline  in  Western  Macedonia. DESFA  has  an  active  role  in  the  development  of  the  hydrogen  market,  working  intensively  to  ensure  that  our network  is100%- ready for  the  transport  and  storage  of  renewable  gases,  such  as  hydrogen  and  biomethane", said Maria Rita Galli,  the CEO of DESFA.

"We  are  proud  to  contribute  with  our  innovative  technical  progress  on  hydrogen  to  the establishment  of DESFA's  hydrogen  network  towards  the  green  transition  of  Greece.  We  have  built  a  long  and  trusted cooperation  along  with  DESFA  with  a  common  goal  to  achieve  the  necessary  level  of  reliability,  in  order  for  the Greek  network  to  be  certified  for  the  use  of  hydrogen. West  Macedonia  pipeline  will  be  ready  when  the production  and  use  of  hydrogen  will  start  and  excess  hydrogen  (H2)  produced  by  renewable  energy  sources  will be injected into the gas network," Corinth Pipework's CEO, Ilias Bekiros commented.