???? 據管道&天然氣雜志網2月25日報道，澳大利亞APA集團宣布了一個具有里程碑意義的氫氣試點項目，以便將西澳大利亞州43公里（合26.7英里）的Parmelia天然氣管道轉化為澳大利亞第一條100%的氫輸送管道。
????該試點項目是APA在其探路者計劃(Pathfinder Program)下的第一個項目——這一新舉措將有助于開啟未來的能源解決方案——并將使Parmelia天然氣管道成為世界上僅有的幾條現有輸氣管道之一，100%可供氫。
????APA集團首席執行官兼董事總經理Rob Wheals表示，APA很高興在澳大利亞首次將國際最佳實踐帶到該國，我們預計這將測試和證明現有輸氣管網以純形式輸送氫或與天然氣混合的能力。澳大利亞已經在全國范圍內投資了數十億美元的天然氣基礎設施，考慮如何利用我們現有的能源基礎設施來支持澳大利亞向低碳未來的過渡是有意義的。研究表明，繼續使用天然氣基礎設施可以減少排放，而對客戶而言，這一成本僅為天然氣提供的電氣化服務的一半。
????未來燃料合作研究中心和伍倫貢大學已與APA合作，支持工程研究，以實現安全和高效的轉換。
????COAG能源委員會的國家氫戰略建議之一是對管道進行氫脆反應測試。
????APA的目標是2022年底左右完成測試和研究，如果成功的話，這條管道就可以輸送氫氣了。
????Wheals表示，APA歡迎有機會與潛在的生產商和客戶討論擬議中的新氫管道可以提供的服務。
????為了證明這條管道已具備氫氣供應能力，APA將需要考慮正在與潛在生產商和客戶進行的合作，以了解管道作為氫服務的基礎設施和連接要求。
????在測試期間，APA將與西澳經濟監管局和西澳政府合作，展示氫輸送管道的安全性，并支持澳大利亞標準的制定。
????APA集團負責轉型和技術的高管漢娜·麥考吉（Hannah McCaughey）表示，Parmelia天然氣管道43公里的部分，供應南珀斯的奎納納（Kwinana）工業區，那里許多現有客戶已經依賴氫氣及天然氣進行工業加工?？{納是一個潛在的關鍵氫生產和使用地點，與一個大型工業基地和交通樞紐相連，有潛力有朝一日服務出口市場。
????Parmelia天然氣管道試點項目的啟動是在APA朝著可持續發展的未來不斷取得進展之后進行的，包括APA到2050年實現凈零排放的雄心壯志。
????大規模輸送氫是實現澳大利亞政府氫經濟雄心的關鍵部分，對支持西澳大利亞州政府到2030年實現氫混合比例達到10%的目標也很重要。
????在測試完成后，該試點項目的結果還將為其他APA資產向氫氣準備的潛在轉變提供決策。
????郝芬 譯自 管道&天然氣雜志網
????原文如下：
????APA Launches Australia's First Hydrogen-Ready Transmission Pipeline Project
????Australia’s APA Group announced a landmark hydrogen pilot project to enable the proposed conversion of 43-kilometers (26.7 miles) of Parmelia Gas Pipeline in Western Australia into Australia’s first 100 percent hydrogen-ready transmission pipeline.
????The pilot project is APA’s first project under its Pathfinder Program – a new initiative that will help unlock energy solutions of the future – and would make the Parmelia Gas Pipeline one of only a few existing gas transmission pipelines in the world, 100 percent hydrogen-ready.
????“APA is excited to be bringing international best practice to Australia in this national first, which we expect will test and prove the capacity of the existing gas transmission pipeline network to transport hydrogen in pure form or blended with natural gas,” APA Group Chief Executive and Managing Director Rob Wheals said. “With billions of dollars invested in gas infrastructure across the country, it makes sense to look at ways to use our existing energy infrastructure to support Australia’s transition to a low carbon future.”
????Studies show continuing to use gas infrastructure can reduce emissions at half the cost to customers than electrifying the services provided by gas, Wheals said.
????Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre and Wollongong University have partnered with APA to support the engineering research to enable the safe and efficient conversion.
????The $3 million project will fund three phases, including: research and testing of the material for embrittlement in the laboratory, development of safe operating guidelines and full-scale testing on-site.
????A new laboratory is being established at Wollongong University to test materials, which are representative of the pipeline, under pressurized hydrogen gas conditions.
????One of the COAG Energy Council’s National Hydrogen Strategy’s recommendations was for pipelines to be tested for their response to hydrogen embrittlement.
????APA is targeting the testing and research to be completed around late CY2022, which if successful would make the pipeline hydrogen-ready.
????Wheals said APA welcomed the opportunity to discuss services the proposed new hydrogen-ready pipeline can provide with potential producers and customers.
????Subject to proving the pipeline is hydrogen-ready, APA will then need to consider ongoing work in conjunction with potential producers and customers to understand the infrastructure and connection requirements to commission the pipeline as a hydrogen service.
????During the testing, APA will work with WA’s Economic Regulation Authority and WA Government to demonstrate the safety of hydrogen transmission pipelines and support the development of Australian standards.
????APA Group Executive for Transformation and Technology, Hannah McCaughey, said the 43-kilometer section of the Parmelia Gas Pipeline supplies the Kwinana industrial precinct in south Perth, where a number of existing customers already rely on hydrogen for industrial processing, as well as natural gas.
????“Kwinana is potentially a key hydrogen production and usage location, linked to a large industrial base and transport hubs, with the potential to one day service export markets,” she said.
????The launch of the Parmelia Gas Pipeline pilot project follows APA’s continued progress towards a sustainable future, including APA’s ambition to achieve net zero operations emissions by 2050.
????Transmission of hydrogen at scale is a critical part of delivering the Australian Government’s hydrogen economy ambition and will also be important to support the WA Government’s hydrogen blending goal of 10 percent by 2030.
????Following the completion of the testing, the pilot project results will also support decision-making for the potential transition of other APA assets to be hydrogen-ready.
