Hydrogen Logistics: Worley and StreamTec Advance AquaDuctus Offshore Pipeline

Ever wondered how all that green hydrogen churned out by offshore wind farms makes its way to Europe’s smokestacks and factories? That’s where the AquaDuctus project comes in—a gigawatt-scale, open-access corridor under the German North Sea waters, ready to shuttle hydrogen from sea to shore.

Project Snapshot

• Who: Worley from Australia and Germany’s StreamTec Solutions AG
• What: Roughly 200 km of subsea pipeline carrying offshore wind–based hydrogen onto the continent
• Where: German North Sea zone, connecting up with onshore grids and neighbouring countries
• When: EPC-Management contract inked on 04/02/2026
• Why: To bridge Europe’s hydrogen infrastructure gap and turbocharge industrial decarbonization

How It Works

Picture this: wind turbines out at sea pushing clean electricity to electrolyzers that split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Then, our subsea juggernaut pipeline swoops in, whisking that green hydrogen to shore-based hubs. From there, it slides into distribution networks for everything from heavy industry to power plants—or even extra-long voyages.

Roles & Capabilities

Worley takes the lead on EPC-Management, handling:

• Select (Development): Project planning and wrangling permits
• Define (Planning): Nailing down engineering designs, tracking budgets, filing regs
• Execute (Execution): Supervising contractors, running inspections, keeping quality top-notch

Meanwhile, StreamTec Solutions AG drives the permitting strategy, backed by its proven know-how in North Sea pipeline builds. They’ve already tackled H₂-ready lines like OAL, BHC and NBHC, so they’re no strangers to subsea challenges.

Strategic Significance

• Boosts Europe’s sustainable energy mix by turning wind into a storable gas
• Strengthens energy security and cuts reliance on imports
• Drives industrial decarbonization in steel, chemical, shipping and beyond
• Weaves a cross-border network tying Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, the UK and Norway

Economic & Environmental Impacts

By setting up an open-access backbone, AquaDuctus invites all comers—producers and users—to jump into the fray, sparking competition and market growth. Plus, it’s charting new waters for big-diameter offshore hydrogen pipelines and setting the bar for future North Sea rollouts.

Why This Matters

Europe’s 2020 Hydrogen Strategy and the REPowerEU push to shore up hydrogen production have everyone eyeing green H₂. But until now, hauling it from offshore farms at scale was a missing puzzle piece. AquaDuctus fills that gap, sending a clear signal to investors that offshore hydrogen logistics can pay off.

What’s Next

With permits resting in StreamTec’s capable hands and Worley steering the EPC voyage, the next chapters focus on detailed designs and procurement. Exact timelines are under wraps, but the IPCEI badge usually fast-tracks approvals. We’ll be watching to see how this subsea artery plugs into onshore hydrogen grids and whether it sparks new corridors around the North Sea.

All told, AquaDuctus is a game-changer for Europe’s shift to zero emissions. It proves you can blend offshore wind, electrolysis and subsea engineering into a powerful recipe for sustainable energy at scale.