Ontras Gastransport GmbH has installed a new branch valve group on the long-distance gas pipeline 701. The pipeline is part of the Bad Lauchstädt Energy Park. This enables the connection of the TotalEnergies Refinery Central Germany to the hydrogen network. Commercial hydrogen transport is scheduled to start at the end of 2025.
With the installation of the new branch valve, the company has reached an important milestone for connecting the first hydrogen customer in the Bad Lauchstädt Energy Park to the grid. Moreover, it is also a significant step in connecting the first customer to the future hydrogen core network, explains Cornelia Müller-Pagel, project manager in the consortium and head of Green Gases at VNG AG. Through this grid connection, the consortium creates the prerequisite for a continuous hydrogen supply to the TotalEnergies Refinery Central Germany.
At the end of June, the gas network operator Ontras and TotalEnergies signed the final contracts for the first green hydrogen supply chain in Germany. Commercial hydrogen transport is set to begin in the fourth quarter of 2025.
The individual components of the valve group are assembled on-site before installation. Subsequently, both welding seam and pressure tests are carried out, followed by acceptance by an expert. Afterwards, the approximately 6-ton valve is lifted into the construction pit with a special crane and welded to the existing pipeline. For the complete connection of the refinery, the consortium must horizontally drill under the road in front of the TotalEnergies refinery site in the following construction phases and build a metering and control station.
Further Hydrogen Connections Planned
The hydrogen is produced by the electrolysis plant in the Bad Lauchstädt Energy Park, about 25 kilometers away. Uniper and VNG Handel & Vertrieb GmbH are currently still constructing the plant. In the future, the electrolyzer is to be operated with green electricity from eight wind turbines north of Bad Lauchstädt.
With the FGL 701 and its branch FGL701.01, Ontras initially wants to connect the refinery with the electrolyzer and, in the future, with the cavern storage in Bad Lauchstädt. VNG Gasspeicher GmbH is currently preparing the hydrogen storage for large-scale storage.
In the future, Ontras plans to connect the Leipzig region to the hydrogen core network and supply it with hydrogen via this pipeline and other pipelines as part of the IPCEI project Green Octopus Central Germany (GO!).
