New White Jacket Coating Boosts Hydrogen Infrastructure Durability

Ever paused to think how pipelines slice through bedrock yet still keep hydrogen sealed tight? Well, at this year’s Hydrogen and Carbon Capture Technology World Expo in Hamburg, Germany, Tenaris rolled out its latest marvel: the TenarisShawcor White Jacket. This all-in-one, multi-layer pipe coating was custom-built for horizontal directional drilling (HDD) and other harsh onshore terrains. In other words, it’s gearing up to be the backbone of future hydrogen infrastructure.

Unveiling Innovation in Hamburg

Tenaris introduced White Jacket at booth 7D20 during the October 21–23, 2025 expo, and it quickly stole the spotlight. As energy leaders hustle to expand green hydrogen and carbon capture corridors, a coating that thrives in tight city layouts and rocky soils is exactly what the doctor ordered. Hamburg’s standing as a hotspot for sustainable energy made it the perfect stage for this debut.

Engineering a Tough Coating

As Sandro Giannelli, Tenaris’s Senior Manager of Technical Coating Sales, put it: White Jacket’s edge comes from its dual-polymer blend. A robust polyethylene base offers corrosion resistance and thermal shielding reminiscent of a classic 3LPE system. Topped off with a polypropylene outer shell, it delivers mechanical strength that laughs in the face of abrasion and bending stresses.

What’s more, the multi-pass application seals every millimeter in one go, so you won’t find any thin spots. And because Tenaris handles both coating and pipe supply, you dodge the usual coordination headaches when deadlines loom. It’s seamless, literally and figuratively.

Strategic Timing for the Hydrogen Economy

Why launch now? Governments and major energy players are funneling billions into green hydrogen and carbon capture projects as part of broader industrial decarbonization efforts. Yet hydrogen’s small molecules and CO₂ streams loaded with impurities can be brutal on materials. White Jacket tackles both challenges head-on, promising reliable, leak-free networks that hit the high bar for safety and environmental standards.

Built on Expanded R&D Muscle

This breakthrough traces back to Tenaris’s December 2023 acquisition of Shawcor’s pipe coating business. That move added nine coating facilities—from Canada to Norway—and two R&D centers in Toronto and Orkanger. At the Villamarzana, Italy plant, engineers have been fine-tuning White Jacket’s formula, blending fresh expertise to push its performance envelope.

Business and Sustainability Edge

For Tenaris, White Jacket is more than a new product; it’s a tactical advantage. An integrated pipe-plus-coating solution helps clients streamline purchasing, cut interface risks, and accelerate project schedules. Every meter of pipe coated also drives forward Tenaris’s own pledge to slash CO₂ intensity by 30% by 2030 versus 2018 levels, reinforcing its path toward sustainable energy leadership.

Environmental and Operational Benefits

HDD shines for its low-impact approach in cities or sensitive areas, but its intense forces can batter ordinary coatings. White Jacket’s tough outer layer shrinks the odds of field damage, which means fewer repairs, less downtime, and a lighter environmental footprint. In any green hydrogen or CCUS scheme, a drop in leaks translates directly to safer, cleaner operations—essential for zero-emission technology.

One Supplier, Integrated Solutions

The White Jacket rollout underscores Tenaris’s “One Line” strategy: supplying welded or seamless pipes, premium connections, coatings, testing, and tech support under one roof. Customers get customized Pre-Qualification Trials, detailed Inspection & Test Plans, plus on-the-ground help with string design and materials—all aligned with international codes.

Shaping Future Standards

Solutions like White Jacket don’t just meet today’s needs—they help write tomorrow’s rulebook. As hydrogen and CCUS pipelines multiply, regulators will lean on proven products when updating specs. Tenaris’s new coating has the chops to set the benchmark for mechanical durability and resistance to hydrogen-induced embrittlement, and it could end up influencing how new builds get scoped and approved across the industry.

In Hamburg’s Green Tech Hub

Hamburg’s legacy as a bustling Hanseatic port now runs parallel to its mission as a green hydrogen and zero-emission technology pioneer. Showing off White Jacket at the 2025 expo put Tenaris front and center with decision-makers hunting for turnkey solutions. With Europe’s hydrogen network growth just around the corner, the timing couldn’t be sweeter.

About Tenaris
Tenaris S.A., based in Luxembourg, is a leading global producer of steel pipes and associated services for the energy and industrial sectors. Operating in over 20 countries and aiming to reduce CO₂ intensity by 30% by 2030 (from a 2018 base), Tenaris is fully invested in driving the transition to clean energy with innovations like the TenarisShawcor White Jacket.