As required by the Oil and Gas Pipeline Systems Code Adoption Document, pipeline operators are required to seek TSSA approval for any change in service fluid, including blending hydrogen into pipeline systems:
 
“Prior to a change in service fluid, including non-sour service to sour service, or gas to hydrogen or hydrogen blend service, the operating company shall conduct an engineering assessment to determine whether the pipeline systems would be suitable for the new service fluid. The assessment shall include consideration of the design, material, construction, operating, and maintenance history of the pipeline system and shall be submitted to the Director for approval.”
 
There are two ways to seek the required approval for introducing hydrogen into a pipeline system: 
 
Option 1: Individual Engineering Assessment
 
Submit an Application for a Consultation, along with an engineering assessment signed by an Ontario-licensed professional engineer, demonstrating the safe operation of the pipeline system for each introduction of hydrogen blending.

Or 
 
Option 2: Generic Engineering Assessment 
 
Step 1: Submit an Application for a Consultation, along with a generic engineering assessment signed by an Ontario-licensed professional engineer, demonstrating the safe operation of the pipeline system for introducing various hydrogen blends.  Considerations include, but are not limited to, conditions such as: 

- The age of the pipeline
- Impacted materials
- Operating pressures
- Welds and transitions
- Maintenance programs
- Integrity programs
- Percentage of the hydrogen blend, etc.  

Step 2: Submit individual applications for introducing specific hydrogen blends in the pipeline system to TSSA. TSSA will approve the individual applications for specific hydrogen blends as an administrative process if they are compatible with the requirements under the generic assessment. These individual submissions shall reference the following: 

• The generic assessment
• Explanations of how the application is compatible with the generic assessment
• The location at which hydrogen blending is introduced
• Signed off by an Ontario-licensed professional engineer
   

The approval of submissions listed above will be billed at the hourly rate specified under the  Engineering Services section of TSSA’s Natural Gas & Hydrogen Fee Schedule. 

Applications submitted after February 1, 2025, without mandatory supporting documents will not be processed

To enhance the efficiency of processing engineering applications submitted for fuel systems and devices, engineering applications submitted after February 1, 2025, without mandatory supporting documents will not be processed. All fees are non-refundable.

TSSA reviews fuel system and device design submissions to ensure compliance with the Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000, as well as any applicable regulations and adopted safety codes or standards.

Submitting mandatory supporting documents along with the application is critical to ensure the timely processing of design registrations. Please ensure that mandatory supporting documents are complete.

Click to see a list of mandatory supporting documents for Fuels design registrations.

Fuels Safety Program
Technical Standards and Safety Authority

Changes in class location will apply to existing oil pipelines, per the Oil and Gas Pipeline Systems Code Adoption Document. 

A pipeline’s class location can change due to population growth and development in a pipeline’s surrounding area. Previously, existing oil pipeline systems were exempted from the requirement to address changes in class location. 

Operators of existing oil pipeline systems can submit applications to address changes in class location through one of the following ways:  

1. Apply for a variance to provide time to upgrade existing pipelines or reduce the operating pressure; 

    or  

2. Conduct and submit an engineering assessment to TSSA to determine the suitability of the continued use of the pipeline.