Start of Construction for OGE's First Dedicated H₂ Pipeline: Pipeline Between Heek and Epe is Coming

Gas grid operator Open Grid Europe GmbH (OGE) has teamed up with Nowega GmbH to build a dedicated hydrogen pipeline, named HEp, from Heek to Epe in the district of Borken. It will connect the cavern storage field in Epe, where RWE Gas Storage West is building its first hydrogen storage facility, with an existing pipeline from Emsland to the northern Ruhr area, which is being repurposed to transport hydrogen. The pipelines are an essential part of the hydrogen network in the region.

The HEp project partners OGE and Nowega each hold a 50 per cent stake in the DN 400 pipeline which will have a total length of around 11 kilometres and is scheduled for commissioning this year. As part of the GET H2 initiative, HEp has been officially recognised as an Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI). The pipeline is being funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action on the basis of a decision by the German Bundestag and by the Ministry for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the state of North Rhine Westphalia.