During the Hydrogen & Carbon Capture Technology Expo of Bremen, Germany, the Company presented its latest material technology for hydrogen projects.

Hydrogen is the most common, lightest, and one of the simplest elements that we know. A molecule consists of two hydrogen atoms (H2) on Earth, which prefers to bind itself with other molecules. The most “popular partners” are oxygen, with which it forms water (H₂O), and carbon, with which it forms hydrocarbons. 

Today, hydrocarbons are fossil energy sources such as crude oil and coal. These energy sources produce CO₂ emissions, which trap heat in the atmosphere causing hotter temperatures and rising sea levels. High concentration brings a massive disruption into ecosystems and more extreme weather, with warmer and colder temperatures. 

For that reason, it is expected that the response to climate change will result in a decrease in using fossil hydrocarbons in the next few decades. Therefore, we are committed to looking for new energy sources and carriers, which are cleaner and more sustainable, while reliable and affordable. As the world strives to reduce its carbon emissions, hydrogen appears to play a vital role as an enabling solution. 

In this context, Tenaris presented at the Hydrogen & Carbon Capture Technology Expo of Bremen, Germany, its newest material technology for hydrogen storage and transportation called THera™.

“We are a company that continuously invests in moving our industry forward. And with the energy transition underway, we are applying our decades of expertise to develop further and enhance our solutions for a full spectrum of applications, like hydrogen, that requires steels with microstructural characteristics designed to avoid embrittlement even under very high pressures,” said Marco Tivelli, Vice President, Research & Development at Tenaris. 

THera™ applications include hydrogen storage systems for refueling stations designed for pressures in the range of 240 bar up to 1000 bar; tube trailers with customized dimensions and lengths to optimize the design for reliable hydrogen transportation. It also comprises solutions for industrial segments such as refineries, hydrocarbon processing, steel shops, and green/blue processing. THera™ technology also allows transporting up to 100% hydrogen gas in high pressure, onshore, and offshore transmission pipelines.

“With decades of experience in compressed hydrogen, we have developed new technologies to withstand the embrittlement effect. Thera™ technology integrates materials, testing, life assessments, connections, and numerical designs to enable storage systems in such severe conditions,” explained Erick Escorza, Tenaris Industrial & Process Technology Senior Director.

Tenaris sought to have its products such as large vessels and line pipe among others certified with the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), which states their environmental performance, based on their Life Cycle Assessment, to consolidate its commitment to a more sustainable future.

In 2021, Tenaris released two new Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) that state the environmental performance of its carbon and alloy seamless pipes and tubes for power generation applications and large vessels, based on their Life Cycle Assessment.

The EPDs measure the impact of a ton of steel pipes in terms of air emissions, energy use, climate change, co-product recovery, and water use, considering a cradle to gate approach (meaning from raw materials preparation to customers’ gate).

The Environmental Product Declarations are verified annually, updated in case of any significant change in the environmental performance, and certified by an external body. EPDs comply with the rules of the International EPD® System and meet the requirements of ISO 14025.

• Fully customizable.
• Verified fatigue life.
• Long-lasting and completely recyclable.
• Flexible and reliable solutions.
• Highest performance under the more elevated working pressures on the market.