Bohai Equipment Leads Formulation of National Standard "Steel Pipes for Hydrogen Storage and Transportation Pipelines" Released, Filling Standard Gap in Hydrogen Energy Storage and Transportation Field

On October 31, the State Administration for Market Regulation (Standardization Administration of China) officially approved and released the recommended national standard "Steel Pipes for Hydrogen Storage and Transportation Pipelines" (GB/T 46599-2025). As the first national specialized standard in the field of hydrogen energy storage and transportation pipelines in China, this standard will be officially implemented on May 1, 2026. It provides comprehensive technical guidance for material selection, production, manufacturing, inspection, and acceptance of hydrogen storage and transportation pipeline projects, successfully filling the long-standing technical gap in the absence of a national standard for steel pipes used in hydrogen storage and transportation pipelines in China. This development holds milestone significance for the industry.

It is reported that after the project was approved by the Standardization Administration of China in December 2023, the standard was led and coordinated by PetroChina Bohai Equipment Company, with collaborative efforts from over 40 key upstream and downstream units in the industry chain, including the Metallurgical Industry Information Standard Research Institute, PetroChina Engineering Materials Research Institute, China Petroleum Engineering Construction North China Branch, and Hengyang Valin Steel Tube Co., Ltd. The drafting team went through the entire standardized process, including standard drafting, multiple rounds of industry opinion solicitation, expert pre-review, technical review, and submission for approval, ultimately completing the formulation of this standard that aligns with national energy strategic needs.

Chen Xiaowei, Vice President of the Bohai Equipment Research Institute, explained that during the standard formulation process, key industry-wide issues were addressed, such as defining the performance indicators for steel pipes' resistance to hydrogen embrittlement and corrosion in hydrogen environments, and standardizing manufacturing process parameters. The standard content covers four major modules: technical requirements for ordering, control of key manufacturing processes, key performance testing methods, and acceptance criteria, which can meet the full life cycle management needs for the processing and manufacturing of steel pipes used in hydrogen storage and transportation.

As a key infrastructure standard for the "storage-transportation" link in the hydrogen energy industry chain, the release of this national standard will drive dual upgrades in the industry: on one hand, it will accelerate the standardization of product quality and normalization of production processes for hydrogen transportation steel pipes, addressing the long-standing issue of inconsistent quality due to the lack of standards; on the other hand, it will provide support for enterprise technology transformation—leveraging the core achievements accumulated during the drafting process, Bohai Equipment Company has successfully developed a series of products such as welded pipes and bend pipes suitable for long-distance pure hydrogen transportation scenarios. The technical indicators have been validated through key demonstration projects and are currently providing equipment support for major hydrogen transportation projects.

After the implementation of this standard, it will provide technical assurance for the long-distance, large-scale, and safe transportation of hydrogen energy, further strengthening the foundation of China's hydrogen energy infrastructure construction. It will accelerate the application of green hydrogen in areas such as industrial substitution, transportation fuels, and ESS, providing critical support for building a green, low-carbon energy system and advancing the goals of "carbon peak and carbon neutrality."