Presentation title: Preparing the gas network for Hydrogen: Conversion pathways and infrastructure readiness
Presentation abstract/summary:
Hydrogen is expected to play an important role in future energy systems, but its introduction into existing gas networks requires careful assessment of infrastructure readiness, operational change, and regulatory acceptance. This seminar will examine the practical pathways for converting natural gas transmission and distribution assets for hydrogen service, with a focus on engineering feasibility, safety, and integrity assurance.
The session will consider the case for repurposing existing pipelines and associated assets, including energy transport capacity, mechanical design limits, materials compatibility, compression requirements, and the operational differences between natural gas and hydrogen. It will also address key safety considerations, including societal risk, hazardous area implications, leakage behaviour, emergency response, and the evolution of safety management arrangements.
A central theme will be how operators can demonstrate continued fitness for service through structured integrity management, risk assessment, inspection, testing, and evidence-based decision making. The seminar will conclude by considering the role of standards, stakeholder engagement, and regulatory approval in enabling safe, phased conversion of gas networks to hydrogen service.
Speaker’s name: Nigel Curson
Organization: Penspen
Job title: Executive Vice President of Technical Excellence
Biography:
Nigel Curson is the Executive Vice President of Technical Excellence at Penspen, a leading global energy consultancy business. Nigel runs Penspen’s consulting business, delivering energy transition projects including re-use of pipeline and associated infrastructure for hydrogen and CO2 transportation and network modelling.
Nigel also oversees the company’s digital transformation journey, with a key milestone being the 2020 launch of THEIA, a Pipeline Integrity Management Software Solution delivered on a SaaS platform. With over 30 successful years in the energy consultancy industry, he has substantial experience working with a very wide variety of energy infrastructure projects in the midstream area, for the UK and clients worldwide. Before joining Penspen in 2000, Nigel held various roles at Andrew Palmer and Associates, specialising in North Sea oil and gas developments.