Soil survey underway for Dutch hydrogen and CO2 pipeline network

Fugro and Sweco are carrying out soil investigation fieldwork for a pipeline network that will link three industrial areas in the Netherlands and transport hydrogen and directly captured CO2 to designated offshore storage sites.

Commissioned by Gasunie, the Delta Rhine Corridor West (DRC West) infrastructure project will create new pipelines linking industrial areas between Rotterdam, Moerdijk and Boxtel, with the network to transport hydrogen and CO2 offshore for storage.

The companies are performing investigations along a 70-kilometer section of the planned pipeline route, stretching from the Maasvlakte industrial area up to and including the Hollands Diep.

With geotechnical fieldwork underway, Fugro is conducting cone penetration tests, mechanical drilling, and installing monitoring wells to build a detailed understanding of subsurface conditions along the corridor, while Sweco is conducting a range of studies, including assessments of cultural history, landscape, and ecology.

The team is also evaluating potential archaeological features, soil contamination and the presence of unexploded ordnance (UXO).

The investigation program builds on desk studies completed by Fugro and Sweco last year in close coordination with Gasunie.

Jaco Stemmet, Fugro’s Regional Business Line Director for Land in Europe and Africa, said: “Our role is to provide Gasunie with clear, reliable subsurface information to support well‑informed decisions as the DRC West moves into its next phase of development. Guided by our purpose to contribute to a safe and liveable world, we provide a detailed understanding of ground and groundwater conditions, helping to reduce uncertainty and support the safe delivery of this important infrastructure.”