On August 8, 2023, the CNPC Yumen Oilfield Renewable Energy Hydrogen Production Project began construction at the Gansu Yumen Oilfield Hydroelectric Power Plant, with CNPC undertaking the EPC general contracting. This is also the first large-scale green hydrogen production demonstration project of CNPC.

The renewable energy hydrogen production project in Yumen Oilfield has a photovoltaic installed capacity of 30MWp and is located on the west bank of the Shiyou River in the old urban area of Yumen City. It is mainly used for electrolytic hydrogen production, with a designed annual average power generation of 50578MWh. It is equipped with a 35kV transmission line, which is connected from the photovoltaic substation in the photovoltaic area and connected to the newly built 35kV busbar of the hydrogen production station through a single circuit on the same tower. The total length of the line is about 727m, and a total of 3 poles and towers are installed on the line.

The water electrolysis hydrogen production module is located near the fifth phase plant of the Yumen Oilfield Hydropower Plant. The project is equipped with three sets of 1000Nm3/h alkaline electrolysis tanks and two sets of proton exchange membranes for hydrogen production. The annual hydrogen production capacity is 2100 tons, and the purity of hydrogen products will exceed 99.99%. And match the construction of hydrogen production compressor rooms, distribution rooms, hydrogen production laboratories, and storage tank areas.

In addition, the project will construct a hydrogen gas transmission pipeline with a diameter of DN200. The pipeline will exit from the hydrogen gas compressor and be laid from west to south along the water power plant, followed by the Yuchi Line. Two gas connection points will be set at the end to connect to the Yumen Refinery and the Old City Chemical Park. The total length of the pipeline is about 6.73km, and it will be made of carbon steel with a design pressure of 2.5MPa. The pipeline will be laid overhead.

In the future, the green hydrogen produced by this project will serve as a stable hydrogen source for surrounding industrial and transportation hydrogen, and the project will also serve as a demonstration platform for water electrolysis hydrogen production technology and equipment research and development, exploring the path of integrated development of the wind and solar green hydrogen industry. At the same time, the Jiuquan Hydrogen Energy Industry Development Alliance and the Jiuquan New Energy Sub center of the National Energy Measurement Center (Electric Power) were also unveiled at the Yumen Oilfield Hydropower Plant.Editor/Ma Xue