China’s first standard for steel pipes used in hydrogen storage and transmission pipelines, **“Steel Pipes for Hydrogen Storage and Transmission Pipelines” (GB/T 46599—2025)**, has been released

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China’s first **standard for steel pipes used in hydrogen storage and transportation was released. On October 31, the State Administration for Market Regulation (Standardization Administration Committee) officially approved and issued the recommended **standard titled \"Steel Pipes for Hydrogen Storage and Transportation\" (GB/T 46599—2025). As the first **-level specialized standard in China’s field of hydrogen storage and transportation pipelines, this standard will come into effect on May 1, 2026. It provides comprehensive technical guidance for the material selection, production, and inspection of hydrogen storage and transportation pipeline projects, thereby filling the long-standing lack of **-level standards for steel pipes used in such pipelines in China. This represents a milestone for the development of this industry.   Since its initiation in December 2023, the development of this standard has been led by CNOOC Bohai Equipment Company, which coordinated the compilation process. More than 40 key organizations from various stages of the industry chain, including the Metallurgical Industry Information Standard Research Institute, CNOOC Engineering Materials Research Institute, CNOOC Engineering Construction North China Branch, and Hengyang Valin Steel Pipe Co., Ltd., collaborated on this project. Through a series of standardized procedures such as standard drafting, multiple rounds of feedback collection from industry stakeholders, expert pre-review, technical validation, and approval processes, the standard was finally developed to meet the needs of **energy strategies.   Chen Xiaowei, deputy director of the Bohai Equipment Research Institute, said: “During the standard-setting process, key issues common to the industry were addressed, including defining the resistance of steel pipes to hydrogen embrittlement and their corrosion resistance in hydrogen-rich environments, as well as standardizing manufacturing process parameters.” ”The standard covers four main sections: technical requirements for ordering, control of key manufacturing processes, inspection methods for key performance parameters, and acceptance criteria, thereby addressing the needs for full-life cycle management of steel pipes used in hydrogen storage and transportation.   As a key infrastructure standard for the \"storage and transportation\" segment of the hydrogen energy industry chain, the release of this national standard will drive dual upgrades in the sector: on one hand, it will accelerate the standardization of the quality of hydrogen transport pipelines as well as the standardization of production processes, thereby addressing the issue of inconsistent quality that has long existed due to the lack of standards ； On the other hand, it provides support for the technological transformation of enterprises. Leveraging the core achievements accumulated during the development process, Bohai Equipment Company has successfully developed a range of products such as welded pipes and bent pipes suitable for long-distance hydrogen transmission applications. The technical specifications of these products have been verified through key demonstration projects, providing equipment support for major hydrogen transportation projects.   Once this standard is implemented, it will further strengthen the development of hydrogen infrastructure in China, accelerate the use of green hydrogen in areas such as industrial substitution, transportation fuels, and energy storage. This will contribute to the establishment of a green and low-carbon energy system in China and the advancement of its goals related to carbon reduction”