Demonstrating in-line inspection (ILI) to monitor cracks assuring compatibility for operation with hydrogen in new and re-purposed offshore natural gas pipelines
Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
The Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking or Clean Hydrogen Partnership is a unique public-private partnership supporting research and innovation (R&I) activities in hydrogen technologies in Europe. It builds upon the success of its predecessor, the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
The scope of this topic is to demonstrate In-Line Inspection (ILI) tools to qualify existing natural gas pipelines for hydrogen service and to operate in future offshore hydrogen pipelines (new or re-purposed) by validating that the tool is suitable for detecting crack-like defects, especially in stress concentration areas.
Detailed Call Description
Proposals should consider and build on relevant existing work in this area and results from projects related to hydrogen integrity of high-pressure pipelines, ILI-systems and sensor development, such as from Pipeline Operator Forum (POF), European Pipeline Research Group (EPRG), Pipeline Research Conference International (PRCI) and including projects funded by the Clean Hydrogen JU such as HIGGS, SHIMMER, PilgrHYm, etc. and also relevant national projects on the topic, such as TransHyDe[5]. Successful projects are also expected to review the state of the art during their implementation and to identify additional synergies with these and other ongoing relevant projects.
Proposals should develop acceptance criteria for defects, considering the type and size of defects, loading conditions and hydrogen environment. This will be used to prove that inspection methods have sufficient probability of detection and sizing accuracy to ensure the integrity and to determine acceptance criteria for the inspection. Proposals should demonstrate the ability to detect or monitor crack-type defects with satisfactory resolution and detection probability through In-line Inspection (ILI) in offshore high-pressure pipelines, as well as safe and reliable operation of In-Line Inspection tools reaching TRL 6 or higher.
Validation consists of demonstration of the increased performance of the ILI-tools by conducting test-runs in high pressure pipelines.
The validation should be conducted in a hydrogen environment but may take place onshore. Detection results, modus operandi and the in-line inspection device, as such, should be prepared and as far as possible qualified to operate in the hydrogen conditions of the future offshore pipelines, while the dimensions of the tool may be different. The development should consider the securement of the needed material integrity and safety of operation, while also considering the costs of the tool and inspections of the relevant stakeholders. In order to be able to fulfil this scope, proposals should include at least one In-Line-Inspection tool provider and one gas transport grid operator.
The following aspects are to be addressed in the scope of the project:
- Determine acceptance criteria for defects including critical flaw characteristics and sizes. This will set the required detection sensitivity for the in-line inspection method and device differentiate between categorising the effectiveness in seam welds, girth welds and pipe body according to the wall thickness. However, it should be the minimum ambition that the tool can detect internal surface-breaking circumferential flaws and surface defects not larger than 3×20 mm in the pipeline. The minimum acceptable performance with respect to axially oriented cracks and crack-like defects are:
- Minimum depth at a Probability of Detection (POD) = 90% of a crack of a length of 25 mm: 1 mm or 10% of the wall thickness, whichever value is greater and a minimum crack opening: < 0.1 mm
- Depth sizing accuracy at 90% certainty: ± 0.5 mm or 5% of the wall thickness, whichever value is greater and a length sizing accuracy at 90% certainty: ± 5 mm
- Orientation limits for detectability: ± 10°
- Determine required conditions for the tool and its operation:
- The tool should have long term hydrogen compatibility/stability and consider the operational condition (acceleration, mechanical impact, etc.) of the future offshore hydrogen pipelines. One may consider an increased exchange rate of components by design, in a deliberate trade-off between performance and minimisation of costs, considering tool preparation for inspection and all required maintenance on the tool in preparation of a tool run.
- The tool should be able to negotiate at least 1,5D 90° bends, can collapse and pass bore restriction to 75% of the inside diameter, can pass 1:1 offtakes without pig bars and generally have a low tool drag and friction.
- Furter criteria such as: Low cost by design, be easy to handle and have low risk of failure, should also be considered
- Develop and test ILI-tools to the specifications defined;
- Define guidelines and protocols for the execution, including launch and receive, of in-line-inspections for qualifying existing offshore pipeline and for maintaining pipelines with hydrogen, including velocity control of the ILI tool. Pipeline cleanliness level and cleaning pigging launch protocol between crack detection pigs. Combining other methodologies such as MFL- A/C;
- Identify and provide suggestions for amendments of existing RCS for the secure monitoring of offshore high-pressure grids;
- Validate the reliable operation of the ILI tool according to defined specification, guidelines and protocols under real conditions to qualify the design at TRL 6. It is assumed that validation in hydrogen environment and in high pressure pipelines between NPS 16”/DN 400 and NPS 32”/DN 800 are sufficient with controllable pressure and flow conditions to adapt to requirements for testing.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
100%
Expected EU contribution per project: €3.50 million.
Thematic Categories
- Economy-Finances
- Energy
- Environment and Climate Change
- Industry
- Information and Communication Technologies
- Information Technology
- Processing
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
- Small-Medium Enterprises and Competitiveness
Eligibility for Participation
- Associations
- Central Government
- Educational Institutions
- Large Enterprises
- Legal Entities
- Natual person / Citizen / Individual
- Non Profit Organisations
- Other Beneficiaries
- Private Bodies
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
- Services Providers
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
- State-owned Enterprises
Eligibility For Participation Notes
Additional eligibility condition: Maximum contribution per topic
For some topics, in line with the Clean Hydrogen JU SRIA, an additional eligibility criterion has been introduced to limit the Clean Hydrogen JU requested contribution mostly for actions performed at high TRL level, including demonstration in real operational environment and with important involvement from industrial stakeholders and/or end users such as public authorities. Such actions are expected to leverage co-funding as commitment from stakeholders. It is of added value that such leverage is shown through the private investment in these specific topics. Therefore, proposals requesting contributions above the amounts specified per each topic below will not be evaluated
- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-03-03: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 5.00 million
- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-04-02: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 8.00 million
- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-06-01: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 17.00 million
- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-06-02: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 8.00 million
Additional eligibility condition: Membership to Hydrogen Europe / Hydrogen Europe Research
For the topics listed below, in line with the Clean Hydrogen JU SRIA, an additional an additional eligibility criterion has been introduced to ensure that one partner in the consortium is a member of either Hydrogen Europe or Hydrogen Europe Research. This concerns topics targeting actions for large-scale demonstrations, flagship projects and strategic research actions, where the industrial and research partners of the Clean Hydrogen JU are considered to play a key role in accelerating the commercialisation of hydrogen technologies by being closely linked to the Clean Hydrogen JU constituency, which could further ensure full alignment with the SRIA of the JU. This approach shall also ensure the continuity of the work performed within projects funded through the H2020 and FP7, by building up on their experience and consolidating the EU value-chain. In the Call 2026 this applies to: development and demonstration of flexible and standardised hydrogen storage systems and demonstration and operation of reversible solid oxide cell systems operation for local grid-connected hydrogen production and utilisation. This will also apply to the Hydrogen Valleys (flagship) topics as they are considered of strategic importance for the European Union ambitions to double the number of Hydrogen Valleys by 2025 as well as to the more recent European Commission’s inspirational target to have at least 50 Hydrogen Valleys under construction or operational by 2030 across the entire EU. For the Hydrogen Valleys topics a large amount of co-investment/co-funding of project participants/beneficiaries including national and regional programmes is expected.
- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-03-03
- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-04-02
- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-06-01
- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-06-02
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects.