Everything you need to know about custody transfer in the hydrogen industry

Custody transfer for hydrogen is now being made possible using the latest generation of measurement technologies.

Custody transfer is a term traditionally associated with the oil and gas industry, however as hydrogen becomes ever more important in the energy mix, custody transfer of hydrogen is an increasingly common practice. Whether on-site, exchanging hands or crossing borders, hydrogen custody transfer has its own unique challenges that must be addressed in ensuring the process is safe, effective and highly accurate. As a relatively nascent industry, albeit one with huge potential, hydrogen has the opportunity to embrace new technologies that can ensure best practices are baked into custody transfer procedures from the outset.

Coriolis mass flow measurement has been used for many years in oil and gas custody transfer applications and is widely considered to be one of the most accurate and cost-effective measurement techniques. Its advantages also make it a logical choice for the measurement of hydrogen. Coriolis meters operate on the mass flow measurement principle and are favored for their ability to measure multiple attributes over sustained periods with high repeatability and little maintenance requirements. The latest generation of devices from manufacturers such as ABB can measure a wide range of medium characteristics including aggregate state, conductivity, and density with an accuracy to 0.1% in direct mass flow measurement.