Repurposing Victoria’s gas infrastructure for a net zero future
Hossein Khalilpasha A * , Hendrik Visagie A , Gilles Dour A , Alvin Moe B , Elissa McNamara B and Rohan Versteegen AA Advisian Pty Ltd, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
B Infrastructure Victoria, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
The APPEA Journal 62 S34-S38 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ21061
Accepted: 11 March 2022 Published: 13 May 2022
© 2022 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of APPEA.
Abstract
As the world moves towards a net-zero future, different jurisdictions are considering various scenarios on how they can achieve their targets. Depending on the types of assets within each jurisdiction, it could mean the development of new projects, modifying existing infrastructure, or a combination of both. The Victorian Climate Change Act 2017 established a system of coordinated, whole-of-economy actions to achieve a net zero emissions target by 2050. This includes rolling 5-year plans and targets to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change impacts, obliging all government policies, plans and decisions to consider climate change, and requiring all sectors of the economy including the gas industry to develop and action emissions reduction pledges. Natural gas plays a major role in Victoria’s energy mix with extensive gas infrastructure supplying over 2 million customers in Victoria and a network asset value of approximately A$6 billion. In 2021, Infrastructure Victoria provided its advice to the Victorian Government on potential scenarios for repurposing Victoria’s gas transmission and distribution networks in a future where Victoria’s carbon emission reduction targets are achieved. This paper provides the results of assessment on the suitability of existing gas infrastructure across the value chain to be repurposed for hydrogen blending, 100% hydrogen, biomethane and carbon dioxide service. This work was performed for the purpose of informing the Victorian Government of the opportunities and risks to gas infrastructure associated with achieving its 2050 net zero emission target.
Keywords: biomethane, blending, CCS, gas infrastructure, hydrogen, net zero, non-compatible, repurposing, Victoria.
Hossein Khalilpasha Leads Worley’s asset integrity team at East Coast of Australia. He received his PhD from the University of Queensland where he investigated buckling integrity of pipelines. He has over 20 years of experience and an extensive knowledge in asset integrity management and governance. During his time working in the energy sector, Hossein has been involved in projects at different stages of asset lifecycle from feasibility study, design and build through to operation and maintenance. Hossein is Advisian’s a Subject Matter Expert in remaining life assessment and life extension studies being involved in numerous local and international projects. Hossein is active in multiple global research projects including contributing to the PRCI project on Pipeline Mid-wall Defect Detection and FFS among others. Hossein has been heavily involved in decarbonisation activities with multiple clients in Australia and globally at Worley, specifically with hydrogen in pipeline. This has resulted in being involved in Future Fuel CRC research projects as Industry advisor for multiple projects and also as committee member for the Integrity Work group. He is also leading a research project for assessing the integrity and fitness for service of H2 pipelines. Hossein is one of the Authors of Australian ‘Code of Practice for H2 pipelines’ which is currently under development. |
Hendrik Visagie is a chartered mechanical engineer and has 9 years of experience in project delivery, operations and integrity management. He has advised customers on various aspects of pipeline integrity management, including defect assessment, fitness for service, repair strategies and remaining life reviews. He is currently in the process of completing a Masters in Sustainable Energy to broaden his knowledge of the energy transition challenge, and has recently advised customers on their positioning within the hydrogen value chain and has completed assessment of the requirements to transition of existing pipelines to hydrogen and carbon dioxide service. |
Gilles Dour is a multidisciplinary engineer with a strong research background in materials and process engineering, materials science and mechanical engineering. For the last 13 years, he has specialised in integrity engineering, with an incursion in the OHS regulatory discipline and process safety. Gilles has been a lecturer at the School of Mines Albi, France, in various disciplines, including foundry and solidification, heat transfer and exchangers, finite elements modelling, metallurgy, materials selections and photovoltaic materials (for solar cells). His areas of expertise include: asset integrity management, Risk Based Inspection (RBI), materials science and metallurgy, failure analysis, corrosion and inspection, OHS inspection, foundry and melted state manufacturing processes. Gilles has conducted research and literature reviews into hydrogen embrittlement in pipelines and co-authored a White Paper on this subject. |
Alvin Moe was the Technical Expert for Infrastructure Victoria’s a team developing advice for the government on gas infrastructure. Before commencing with Infrastructure Victoria, Alvin worked at the Victorian Resources Regulator as a Principal Petroleum Engineer where he was responsible for establishing, maintaining and applying contemporary, risk and outcome-based standards for petroleum operations across Victoria to minimise related impacts on members of the public, land, infrastructure and the environment throughout the full resource life cycle. His experience also includes over a decade of oil and gas exploration and production operations in Australia, Norway and SE Asia. |
Elissa McNamara is a Project Director at Infrastructure Victoria. She led the advice to the Victorian Government on gas infrastructure, and multidisciplinary advice on infrastructure transition and recovery from crisis across several sectors. Before commencing with Infrastructure Victoria, Elissa worked at Southern Rural Water for 10 years on ground water resource management and corporate transformation. Her experience also includes a decade working in contaminated site investigation and clean up. |
Rohan Versteegen has over 20 years of professional experience in the full field lifecycle of a variety of facilities. He has experience in managing diverse projects and engineering teams. Rohan’s expertise covers design, procurement, installation, commissioning, operation, integrity management, inspection, intervention and decommissioning. Rohan has developed and implemented integrity management programs for a number of assets, including large diameter pipelines. He has also worked in senior roles for a contractor, overseeing inspection, maintenance and repair programs. Rohan is currently the Managing Consultant for the Asset Advisory group in Australia. |
References
DNV (2017) DNV RP-J202 recommended practice – design and operation of CO2 pipelines. DNV, Oslo, Norway.Dour G, Sidorin D (2020) An analysis of hydrogen embrittlement in Australia’s pipeline networks, Advisian White Paper, Perth, Australia: Advisian 06 June 2021. Available at https://www.advisian.com/en/global-perspectives/in-the-pipeline--an-analysis-of-hydrogen-embrittlement-in-australias-pipeline-networks
Infrastructure Victoria (2021) ‘Towards 2050: Gas infrastructure in a zero emissions economy – Interim report – July 2021.’ (Infrastructure Victoria: Melbourne)
Wassenaar J, Micic P (2020) White paper: HDPE pipe is hydrogen ready. Qenos, Australia.
