The Local Transmission System (LTS) is the backbone of the United Kingdom (UK) energy network, delivering natural gas from the National Transmission System (NTS) to towns and cities across the country.

The four Gas Distribution Networks (GDNs) operate approximately 11,000 km of high-pressure pipelines, operating at pressures above 7 barg. The pipelines were originally designed to transport and store natural gas.

The UK Hydrogen Strategy states that: “Low carbon hydrogen will be critical for meeting the UK’s legally binding commitment to achieve net zero by 2050”. Hydrogen behaves differently to natural gas, therefore it is necessary to assess how it affects the existing LTS infrastructure.

The LTS Futures Project is a first of a kind, £30 million, joint funded project between SGN, the UK energy market regulator OFGEM, and the other UK GDNs. The project is led by SGN and looks to repurpose a 30 km natural gas transmission pipeline to hydrogen for a live demonstration trial, which will inform the development of a Blueprint methodology for repurposing the LTS. The LTS Futures Project is researching, testing and collating evidence to understand the compatibility of LTS assets, pipelines, associated plant and ancillary fittings in hydrogen, which will all be captured in the Blueprint.

The aim of the Blueprint is to provide a methodology to determine if a natural gas LTS asset is fit for hydrogen service and identify any data gaps, or further work needed for repurposing for hydrogen service.