Hydrogen pipeline transportation has taken an important step forward in Spain thanks to a full-scale test by Exolum, which has verified the compatibility of its network with this liquid-based solution. In simple terms, a long-discussed idea has been put into motion: harnessing existing infrastructures to move hydrogen safely and efficiently.
The company completed a shipment using liquid organic carriers (LOHC), integrating it into its daily operations. The approach, which encapsulates the gas in a stable liquid, allows handle and transport hydrogen at ambient conditions, without the need for extreme pressures or cryogenic temperatures.
What has been tested and where
The test consisted of moving 400.000 liters of LOHC (methylcyclohexane, MCH) through the oil pipeline that connects the Bilbao storage facility with the Burgos storage facility, a 14-inch diameter (about 36 cm) pipeline over 192 kilometers long.
MCH works as a kind of "chemical sponge": it retains hydrogen and releases it when needed through a catalytic process. Thanks to this chemistry, it can be store and transport hydrogen in liquid form at room temperature and pressure, increasing manageability and logistical security.
To fit the test into the network's daily routine, the LOHC traveled between diesel packages, just like any other product traveling through the infrastructure. This evaluated the operational compatibility and interaction of LOHC with other fuels during transport.
Samples were taken at multiple points along the route with the support of the company's Central Laboratory. The analyses confirmed that the passage through the pipeline does not compromise the product's quality: without altering the purity or viability of the reaction of subsequent dehydrogenation.
In addition, the transported material was subjected to a hydrogen release test in collaboration with the Technology Center Leitat, within the 'Regenera' project. The yields obtained were equivalent to those of the reference product, reinforcing the technical soundness of the approach.
Data, energy equivalent and implications
In those 400 cubic meters of LOHC were stored around 20 tons of hydrogen and an energy potential of 380 MWh If converted using fuel cells with an efficiency of approximately 60%. This energy is equivalent to the monthly consumption of more than 11.000 households, a useful reference for sizing the scale of the trial.
The results indicate that it is viable adapt existing infrastructures of liquid hydrocarbons for the transport of hydrogen in the form of LOHC, with guarantees of safety and efficiency, and with a potentially favorable impact on costs compared to other alternatives in the early stages of the market.
From an economic point of view, the use of liquid carriers can offer a flexible solution with lower initial investment, capable of covering more locations with less new construction. As innovation progresses and competition increases, it's reasonable to expect reductions in the operating costs associated with LOHC storage and handling.
At the strategic level, company managers —such as Nacho Casajus, director of global growth and strategy—emphasize that repurposing existing assets accelerates the incorporation of hydrogen into the energy system and contributes to building a more sustainable, robust, and competitive model.
Beyond the specific case, the essay is interpreted as a boost to the role of hydrogen in the industrial decarbonization, and fuels the debate on energy policies in Spain and Europe by demonstrating with data that the current grid can support the deployment of this energy vector when liquid carriers are used.
Exolum's experience shows that integrating LOHC into conventional pipelines is technically feasible and operationally safe, provides tangible figures and leaves a way forward. scalable and cost-efficient to accelerate hydrogen transport and storage while the market matures.
