Corinth Pipeworks wins DESFA contract to supply pipe for 218.5 km Karperi–Komotini gas line
Cenergy Holdings said its steel pipes segment, Corinth Pipeworks, has been awarded a DESFA contract to manufacture and supply pipe for the Doubling of the High Pressure Branch project on the 218.5 km Karperi–Komotini route. The company will produce more than 200 kilometres of 30-inch helically welded pipe at Thisvi, Boeotia. The new parallel line is designed as hydrogen-ready, compatible with up to 100% pure hydrogen.
Corinth Pipeworks, the steel pipes segment of Cenergy Holdings, has been awarded a contract by DESFA, the operator of Greece's National Natural Gas System, for the manufacture and supply of steel pipe for the Doubling of the High Pressure Branch project on the Karperi–Komotini route. The award was announced by Cenergy Holdings and reported by energypress.gr, bankingnews.gr and sbctv.gr.
The Karperi–Komotini section covers 218.5 kilometres, according to bankingnews.gr. Corinth Pipeworks will produce more than 200 kilometres of steel pipe with a diameter of 30 inches, manufactured by helical submerged arc welding, to form a new high-pressure line running parallel to the existing branch, sbctv.gr reported, describing the supply contract as moving the project into a critical phase. The published announcements did not disclose a contract value or a delivery schedule.
Manufacturing scope and specifications
Production will take place at the Corinth Pipeworks plant in Thisvi, Boeotia. The pipe will carry a three-layer polyethylene external anti-corrosion coating and an internal epoxy lining, specifications that sbctv.gr said are intended to extend service life and reinforce the safety of the line. The company has supplied energy transmission projects internationally and positions itself as a supplier for natural gas, hydrogen and other low-carbon applications.
- Route section: Karperi–Komotini, 218.5 kilometres
- Pipe volume: more than 200 kilometres
- Diameter: 30 inches
- Production method: helical submerged arc welding
- Coatings: three-layer polyethylene external, epoxy internal
- Plant: Thisvi, Boeotia
Lifting the capacity ceiling in the north
The stated aim of the project is to eliminate the capacity constraints that currently apply to the northern leg of the National Natural Gas System, sbctv.gr reported. Doubling the branch allows more gas to be moved toward northern Greece and toward the interconnections with neighbouring countries, and reduces the risk of congestion during periods of high demand.
The additional headroom is relevant for the regional links, including the Greece–Bulgaria Interconnector. According to sbctv.gr, easing the northern constraint creates the conditions for more competitive supply and better use of those interconnections, and over time can translate into steadier prices for industry and households, particularly during demand spikes or turbulence on international markets. Greater flexibility and resilience also reinforce the role of Greece as a regional energy transit hub in South-Eastern Europe.
Hydrogen-ready specification
A defining feature of the project is that the pipeline is designed as hydrogen-ready, meaning it is compatible with the transport of up to 100% pure hydrogen, according to sbctv.gr. That places the asset in the next phase of the energy transition and allows DESFA to invest in gas infrastructure today without the line being devalued prematurely as fuel flows change.
For end users, sbctv.gr said the design means current network spending will serve cleaner forms of energy as well as natural gas, and that new fuels can be phased in without full replacement of the core pipelines. For Greek heavy industry, the award also keeps a significant share of the project's added value inside the domestic economy, since the pipe is produced in Boeotia rather than imported.